


Rarity

by Zhau_Kelex



Series: light of love lies like a veil [1]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, F/F, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Trans Alex Danvers, Trans Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-19
Updated: 2019-03-25
Packaged: 2019-06-29 14:10:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 22,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15731007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zhau_Kelex/pseuds/Zhau_Kelex
Summary: Lucy swallowed. A part of her wanted it all, wanted to let Alex in during her heat and see if Alex would be the alpha who managed to knot her.The potential disappointment roiled in her stomach. No. No heats, no knots, no mating, just sex.“Just sex,” she whispered. “Just you and me, as friends who have sex.”





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The idea of a/b/o stuff has always kind of intrigued me, but more the idea of 'how can I flip this and make it less problematic?'. So, I had the idea for this plot, and director sanvers just seemed to fit and here we are.
> 
> There are not going to be sex scenes in this, it'll all be fade to black. I'm not sure about writing smut, but if I get the urge, I'll post it separately in a series thing?

Lucy could smell him even as she stood a distance away. That musk that clung to all alphas, but with a deep tinge that sat on the back of Lucy’s throat and took her mind to the ocean.

The sergeant she was talking to stood with his shoulders more square than usual, his eyes flicked towards the DEO agents every few moments. Lucy felt herself want to react as well, but kept her control.

It would take more than an unsuppressed alpha to make her react.

It wasn’t rare, exactly, to encounter someone off suppressants, you could find plenty if you knew where to look.  Lucy, however, had never met one on the job. Or, at least, one she was going to work with.

Regardless, she had to work with him. She took the folder holding the executive order and made her way towards her father.

The DEO alpha had to be in the group he was talking too. His tells weren’t as clear as the soldier behind her, but she could read him well enough. He was tense, somehow even less happy with whoever he was dealing with than usual.

She stepped up to the group, handing the file to Director Henshaw.

It wasn’t him.

“An executive order,” she said. “For compliance regarding this test.”

“My legal attache,” her father said. “Major Lane.”

She leveled a look at Supergirl before glancing at the last of the group.

The unsuppressed alpha.

Lucy blinked.

A woman.

A tau.

* * *

_The truth is, there used to be no such thing as taus or thetas. They were simply known as alphas and omegas. Scholars cannot agree on the percentage of gender within the echelons. Some argue an even split, but others claim that societies would not have been able to survive the purges if that were the case._

_Regardless of the amount, male omegas (thetas) and female alphas (taus) were simply a part of society, living and working and mating. That was, of course, until Pope Eugene III declared them abominations, physical manifestations of the original sin. While there was no official action taken against these people by the church, many local regions passed laws ranging from bans on mating to imprisonment to, in the most extreme cases, death._

_It is believed that the number of thetas and taus has only started to recover since the invent of pheromone suppressants that allow them to hide amongst the general population as betas._

* * *

Lucy took the bottle offered her, not even checking what it was before taking a drink. She had known who was joining her the moment the balcony door had opened and she trusted that Alex would bring her cider instead of beer.

“You left me alone in there,” Alex said, flopping down in the other patio chair.

“Winn’s still there,” Lucy countered.

Alex rolled her eyes. “Winn doesn’t count. He makes it worse with his moping that Kara doesn’t notice him like that.”

“He really needs to get over that.”

“He does.” Alex took a drink of her beer. “But you still left me alone in there.”

“It isn’t that bad.”

“So why don’t you go back in there?”

Lucy glanced over her shoulder, through the glass door. Kara’s head was thrown back in laughter as James, sitting next to her, grinned.

“I’ll pass.”

Alex chuckled.

“You know,” Lucy mused, looking back out over the city. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen so much sexual tension between a pair of betas.”

“Eh, betas are just usually better at hiding it. No pheromones and all that.”

Lucy tilted her head in concession.

They settled into silence.

Lucy’s eyes fluttered as a gentle breeze blew Alex’s salty musk towards her. She still hadn't figured out if her reaction to Alex’s scent was because it was full strength or because it was Alex.

Her last heat, she had barely been able to think of anything but Alex being there with her, trying to knot her.

Lucy shifted in her seat as light arousal coursed through her at the memory.

“How did Kara rope you into this, anyway?” she asked.

“What do you mean?” Alex asked.

“Game night.” Lucy took a drink. “Doesn’t really seem your scene.”

“What seems my scene?”

“Anywhere without your sister and the resident CatCo hobgoblin?”

Alex let out a short laugh. “Kara just knew I had nowhere else to be tonight and guilted me into it.”

Lucy snorted. “Badass tau can't even stand up to her own sister.”

“She saw my freak out when I first presented, so I don't think there's any hope of her ever really seeing me as a badass.”

“Does she even know?”

“Know what?”

“That you're a badass. I mean, the leather jacket and motorcycle are a big tip off, but the whole -” she leaned towards Alex, dropping her voice “- member of a secret government organization thing?”

Alex laughed. “Have I told my sister, who works for one of the most powerful people in media and can't keep a secret to save her life, that I'm a secret agent who fights aliens? Come on, Lane, you're smarter than that.”

Lucy leaned back, shrugged. “You never know.”

“Now that we know why I’m here, why’re you here?” Alex asked.

“What do you mean?”

“Hanging out with your ex and the girl mooning over him?”

“Same as you, really. Kara knew I have nothing else to do and convinced me to come.”

“We have such great social lives.”

Lucy laughed. “I just moved here, what’s your excuse?”

“Got sick of dealing with people who didn’t actually want to be friends years ago, and that seems to be most people I meet.”

Lucy looked at the bottle in her hands, tugged on a corner of the label. “What do they usually want?”

“Sex.”

“Yeah, I get that. It’s one of the reasons I haven’t dated an alpha in years.”

“But at least you can generally be sure betas and omegas won't be that way, or at least not as bad. So many people just want to date me so they can tick ‘sleep with a tau or theta’ off their bucket list.”

“Damn.”

“It is what it is. If I could take suppressants it’d be easier, but…” Alex shrugged.

“Why can’t you?”

“They, uh,” Alex glanced up at her, then back out at the city. “I can’t take them with some other medicine I’m on because they negate each other. I was given the choice, and I chose the other.”

Lucy nodded.

Prejudices against taus and thetas were still common - Lucy’s own father had ranted about the DEO hiring Alex after first meeting her - and legal protection varied from state to state. For Alex to willingly be known as a tau, whatever the other medicine was, it had to be important.

The balcony door opened. Lucy turned to see Kara leaning out.

“Pizzas here,” she said, before going back inside.

Alex sighed. “We should go grab some before it’s all gone.”

“We got four pies.”

“Trust me, they’ll be gone before you realize.”

Lucy nodded and followed her back inside.

* * *

Alex slowly scrolled through Netflix, stopping every few moments to glance through a category.

“So,” Kara drawled, setting the take out bag on the table as she sat on the couch.

“So what?” Alex asked.

“You and Lucy.”

Alex raised an eyebrow, but kept scrolling. “What about me and Lucy?”

“You two seem close.” Kara pulled the containers out of the bag as she talked.

“We’re friends.”

“You don’t have friends.”

Alex rolled her eyes.

“Oh, come on, Alex. You don’t have friends, now suddenly, you’re all buddy with an omega of all people?”

Alex rolled her eyes again. “I thought you were adamantly against the ‘alphas and omegas can’t be friends’ b.s.”

“I am, but you haven’t had friends in years, Alex.”

“And now I do.” Alex lowered the remote. “Lucy doesn’t ask questions, doesn’t make comments, hasn’t made a single pass at me. It’s nice.”

Alex knew Lucy probably felt the same about her.

Kara set the box of potstickers on her lap. “Do you know why she’s still at the DEO even though her dads gone?”

“To keep an eye on me, actually. He doesn’t trust a tau as second in command.”

Kara laughed. “Didn’t work out the way he wanted, did it?”

“Nope.”

* * *

Alex slowly sipped at her beer, glancing around the bar she had agreed to meet Lucy at so she could decompress after her father’s visit. A few people were on the small dance floor, moving to whatever song was on the radio. Cheers rose from the impromptu dart competition on the other side of the bar.

Every few moments, she met the eyes of someone watching her.

She had already turned six people away.

A slight shift in the pheromones that hung in the air pulled her attention to the door.

Lucy.

Alex followed her path across the bar, then slid the scotch towards her as she sat. Lucy slumped for a moment, shoulder pressing against Alex before straightening.

“How was it?” Alex asked.

Lucy groaned and took a sip before answering. “I love my father, I do, but I can’t say I’m upset to see him go.”

Alex hummed. “Any word yet on how long you’re staying with the DEO?”

“Pretty sure it was something along the lines of ‘she’ll fuck up eventually, you’ll be there to catch it when it happens’.”

Alex nodded, twirled her beer bottle lightly. “So, it’s on me?”

“Pretty much. You and how much you want me gone.”

Alex bit her lip, holding in the desire to tell Lucy how much she hated the thought of her leaving.

“Hello, ladies.”

They looked up at the man sliding into the other side of their booth. He looked between the two of them, smiling easily.

“You two look a bit lonely over here.”

“Whatever you’re aiming for,” Alex said. “We aren’t interested.”

“Oh, come one,” he drawled. “Who isn’t interested in a bit of fun?”

“Us,” Lucy said.

“You don’t know what you’re missing.”

“Then I won’t miss it.”

His smile grew tight for a moment. “I promise, whatever your backwards friend is packing, I’m bigger.”

Alex tensed despite herself. All things considered ‘backwards’ was a tame insult compared to others, but the sting was still there.

Lucy’s hand settled on her knee, warmth flooding through the demen of her jeans.

“I don’t care,” Lucy said before leaning towards Alex. “Drinks paid for?” she softly asked.

Alex nodded. Never open a tab in case you need to leave quickly, one of the earliest rules she had learned.

“Then let’s go,” Lucy continued.

Alex finished her beer in one swallow, then nodded. Lucy’s hand lifted from her knee and took her hand. She slid out of the booth, pulling Alex behind her.

The man stood, quickly moving in front of Lucy.

She pressed back against Alex, focusing on her scent instead of the man’s as it started to waft forward.

“What're you doing with the likes of her anyway?” he asked.

“That's none of your concern,” Lucy replied.

Alex curled her fingers around Lucy's hip as she fought the instinct to push between them.

The man scoffed, looked up at Alex.

“Pathetic,” he spat. “Won't even fight for your omega yourself.”

“Seems like she's doing a decent job of it,” Alex said.

Lucy stepped to the side, pulling Alex with her. “Come on.”

They only got a few steps away before he grabbed Alex's arm.

“I was going to let you join us, but if…”

Alex swung around, hand pulling out of Lucy’s, and slammed her elbow into the side of his face. She grabbed his shirt and had him pressed against the table before he could recover. She pressed close to him, fear and anger muddling his scent.

“We're leaving now. If you know what's good for you, you'll stay behind because if you even think about following us, I'll do even worse, understand?”

His gritted his teeth. His nostrils flared. He nodded.

“Good.”

He fell back slightly when she released him, catching himself in the table.

Alex turned to Lucy, grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the bar.

They walked a few blocks in silence, then Lucy pulled Alex into an alley.

“You okay?” she asked.

Alex nodded.

“I'm sorry,” Lucy said.

Alex brow furrowed. “For what?”

“You've said that you don't like bars much. I shouldn't have asked you to meet me there.”

“You wanted a drink after dealing with your dad the past week.” Alex gave a short laugh. “You _deserve_ a drink after dealing with your dad the past week. I avoid bars because I'd rather not deal with assholes like that, yeah, but I'm not going to say we can't get a drink together.”

“A drink at your place then?” Lucy suggested.

“My place? Not yours? You just don't want to share your expensive scotch.”

Lucy laughed, tension bleeding away. “My place is also another twenty blocks away while yours is three.”

“I guess we'll go to mine, then.”

Alex stuffed her hands in her jeans as they stepped out of the alley. Her skin was still tingling from holding Lucy's hand.

“Thank you, by the way,” Lucy said as they walked

“For what?”

“For not jumping in to defend my honor or anything like that.”

Alex shrugged. “You had it handled.”

* * *

_Moderator: And now, Mrs. Langdon, your organization has a different view on when a child presents as a tau or theta._

_Langdon: It is, simply put, every parent’s worst fear._

_M: That sounds a bit harsh, doesn’t it._

_RL: Not at all. Imagine, you raise your child, then wake up one day and learn that they are backwards?_

_M: It’s not like they had a choice in the matter._

_RL: No, but you, the parent, have choices._

_M: Such as?_

_RL: Suppressors, of course, are currently the most common practice, but sterilization is still, in my opinion and the opinion of many experts, the best option._

* * *

Lucy gratefully took the drink Alex handed her once they got to the apartment. She took a sip as she crossed the room, then practically fell back onto the couch.

Alex followed behind, bringing a bowl of pretzels.

“Why are men like that?” Lucy grumbled.

“Men?” Alex asked, curling up against the arm of the couch, the pretzels on the cushion between them. “Not alphas?”

“You're the only woman alpha I've met, so I don't really have enough data on that front, but the amount of beta men I've met who think I'll roll over and act like they're an alpha because they have a dick is ridiculous.”

Alex snorted.

“I'm serious,” Lucy protested.

“No, I believe you. I can't even count how many men, alpha or beta, expected me to act like an omega with a dick.”

“Seriously?”

“Mmm-hmm.” Alex took a drink of her beer. “I was a great disappointment to them all. In so many ways.”

Lucy laughed. She leaned forward to grab a coaster, inspecting the molecule design burned into the wood before putting her drink on it.

“I can imagine,” Lucy said. She sighed. “Movie?”

“Sure, what do you want to watch?” Alex asked.

“Not romance? Action, maybe?”

“I can do that.”

They settled on _Alien_. The pretzels moved to the table at some point as Lucy slowly crossed the couch. Half way through the movie, she was curled into Alex's side, Alex's arm wrapped around her shoulders.

They talked quietly, about the plot, about how the DEO would react if the Xenomorph was real and attacked Earth, about Sigourney Weaver in her jumpsuits.

By the time the credits ran, Lucy had settled into a cocoon of comfort. The gentle conversation, the warmth of Alex around her, their scents mingling in the air.

Lucy shifted. Their faces were close, Alex’s breath brushing against Lucy’s lips. Lucy swallowed, glanced down at Alex’s lips for a moment. She leaned forward, then pulled back.

Alex’s fingers curled against her shoulder, dipped forward before pulling back as well.

Lucy huffed. “Fuck it,” she growled, then leaned forward, kissing Alex.

Alex responded instantly, fingers digging into Lucy’s shoulder, other hand coming up to cup Lucy’s cheek. When they pulled back, she pressed their foreheads together.

“How much do you want?”

Alex’s meaning was clear. What were they going to do? What were they going to be after?

Lucy swallowed. A part of her wanted it all, wanted to let Alex in during her heat and see if Alex would be the alpha who managed to knot her.

The potential disappointment roiled in her stomach. No. No heats, no knots, no mating, just sex.

“Just sex,” she whispered. “Just you and me, as friends who have sex.”

Alex nodded. She leaned forward, then pulled back, her jaw tense. Her hands fell from Lucy’s face and folded together in her own lap.

“You need to know something first.”

“What?”

Alex looked up for a moment, vulnerability stark on her face.

“Most people, when they, uh, think of a tau, they think of vagina, boobs, and bonus penis, right?”

“I guess?”

Alex took a deep breath. “I'm trans, Lucy. I don't have a vagina. So, if that's what you're hoping for, it's not going to happen.”

Lucy blinked. “Oh.”

She watched as the choice between flight or fight lean towards fight in Alex, but reached up to tuck some hair behind Alex’s ear before she could act on it.

“That might have an impact on what we actually do, but doesn't change the fact that I still want to see you naked.”

Alex started to relax.

“You aren't some bucket list check for me, Alex,” Lucy pressed on. “This isn't because you're a tau or anything. I just want you.”

Alex smiled. “Okay.”

Lucy grinned, then leaned forward, pressing her lips to Alex's.

* * *

Alex turned, a plate of pancakes in both hands. She rolled her eyes at the look Lucy was giving her over her coffee mug.

“You're insatiable,” Alex said, sliding one plate across the island counter before walking around.

“And you're hot,” Lucy responded as she started to cut her pancakes.

Alex snorted, but felt her neck start to blush. She sat and focused on her own pancakes for a few moments before speaking again.

“Is this going to be a one time thing?” Alex asked.

“Do you want it to be a one time thing?”

“Not really, but if it isn't, we need some rules.”

“Of course we do.”

Alex rolled her eyes again at Lucy's amusement.

“First, just sex,” Alex said.

Lucy hummed in agreement. “Just sex.” She swallowed a bite. “Second, not during my heats.”

Alex nodded. “Okay.”

“What's your rut situation?” Lucy asked.

“Pretty tame. They rarely happen, and when they do, I can handle it myself. If I do end up in one, I'll warn you.”

To stay away or come over was up to Lucy.

There were a few moments of silence, both of them eating.

“What other rules do people usually have in these situations?” Alex asked.

Lucy tilted her head, swallowed, then smirked at Alex.

“Any sex rules you have?”

“What?”

“Rules about sex, Danvers.”

“Gee, thanks. I mean, what sort of sex rules do you mean?”

“Well, to start-” Lucy bit her lip as she looked Alex up and down- “I know you've had issues with people treating you like an omega, but, uh, what's your stance on pegging?”

Alex blinked, fork frozen part way to her mouth as images flashed through her mind.

Lucy in a strap-on. Lucy above her, behind her, inside her, fucking her deep as fingers wrapped around her…

She cleared her throat. “I, uh, I'll think about it.”

Lucy laughed, loud and clear.

“How about we come up with sex rules later,” Alex grumbled.

“Whatever you want.” Lucy leaned towards the end of the island, pulling her purse towards her.

Alex watched her as she searched through the purse.

Lucy's hair fell forward, lighting up in the sunlight streaming through the window. She pulled her phone out, then pushed the hair back, revealing a look of concentration.

Alex wanted to reach over and kiss her.

“What're you doing?” Alex asked, distracting herself from the urge.

Lucy snorted. “Rules for friends with benefits. We've already broken some of these.”

“Really?”

“Mmm-hmm. Don't cuddle. Don't have sleepovers.”

“If I remember right, both of those are on you,” Alex said.

“Are not.”

“You fell asleep before there was even a mention of you going home, and then attached yourself to my side before I could do anything.”

“That sounds like a lie.” Lucy put her phone down and looked at Alex. “Besides, would you really have kicked me out?”

Alex shrugged. No, she wouldn't have, but she wasn’t about to admit it. “Test me and we'll see.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lies and hiding and feelings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It seems people like this? Getting your comments made me so happy. I know a lot of people avoid a/b/o stories entirely, so I'm glad people are giving this a chance. I've been putting a lot of thought into the world building behind all of this, and it's really interesting to think about the changes.

Alex wiped the sweat off of her brow then slung the towel over her shoulder. She stopped in front of her locker, spinning the combination lock.

Kara leaned against the next locker, barely a hair out of place after their sparing.

“Is Lucy seeing anyone?” Kara asked.

Alex stopped the lock on the last number and pulled it open. She focused on keeping her breathing steady, her heartbeat even. “What?”

“I mean, has she mentioned that she’s seeing anyone to you?”

“Why would she?”

“Because you two have become best friends or something.”

Alex rolled her eyes. She hung the towel on the hook on the inside of the locker door, then pulled her shirt off.

“No, Lucy hasn’t mentioned anyone,” she said. “Why?”

Kara shrugged. “She’s been different the last few weeks. Happier, I think.”

Alex pulled a clean shirt out of the locker. “So she must be seeing someone?”

“She also started wearing different perfume. Like, pheromone masking perfume.”

Alex pulled the clean shirt on, leveling Kara with a look after pulling her head through. “Even if Lucy had mentioned anyone, I wouldn’t tell you.”

Kara pouted. “Why not?”

“Because it’s her business. If she wants to tell us, she will.”

Alex closed her locker and tucked her pants in as she started towards the door.

* * *

Fastened with only a single button under her breasts, Alex’s shirt hung loose on Lucy. One shoulder refused to stay up, the bottom fluttered against her bare thighs. Lucy breathed in the steam of her coffee, heat soaking through the mug to warm her fingers.

She crossed Alex’s apartment, feet padding on the hardwood floor, and leaned against the frame of the open bathroom door. She watched as Alex pulled the needle out of her thigh and started to clean the injection site.

“So,” Lucy mused. She took a small sip of coffee.

Alex looked up, hair parting around her eyes.

“This the medicine that keeps you off suppressants?” Lucy asked. She had seen Alex take her injections twice before in the months since they had started sleeping together, but had refrained from asking before.

Alex nodded. She looked back down at her leg, lifting the cotton pad away to check the bleeding.

“Suppressants work by, well, suppressing hormones,” she said. “If I took them, they wouldn’t target my alpha hormones, but the hrt.”

Lucy hummed, took another sip of coffee. “Does the hrt have any impact on the alpha hormones?”

Alex wiped away the last bit of blood. “No. There have been a few tests, but messing with the alpha hormones like that doesn’t typically end well.” She started to clean the counter, disposing of the needle and tossing the packaging. “That’s why, for example, there’s no bottom surgery for trans taus. The body rejects it every time.”

Lucy watched, eyeing the muscles of Alex’s legs and arms, bared by her briefs and tank top. She looked up as Alex turned towards her, and returned the smirk directed towards her as Alex stalked over.

Alex leaned close, twirled a lock of Lucy’s hair around her finger before tucking it behind her ear. She tugged at the collar of her shirt, pulling it a bit further down Lucy’s shoulder.

“You look good in my clothes,” Alex murmured.

She stepped back and around Lucy, out of the bathroom. Lucy turned, watching Alex take a few steps before realizing her coffee was no longer in her hands.

“Hey!” she protested.

Alex turned, drinking the coffee as she took a few steps backwards. “Problem?” she asked.

Lucy raised an eyebrow. She started towards Alex, only to stop at the sound of her phone going off. She pointed at Alex as she started towards her purse on the table.

“I expect a new cup after I deal with this,” she said.

Alex just wiggled her fingers at her as she took another drink.

Lucy pulled her phone out, took a deep breath when she saw it was her father, and answered.

“Major Lane.”

_ “Lucy.” _

“Dad. How are you?”

_ “I’m well. How are you?” _

“I’m good.”

_ “That’s good. I’m calling to let you know that I will be in National City next week.” _

Lucy looked over at Alex, who was pouring a new mug of coffee.

Fuck.

* * *

_ Anonymous [July 2012, 2:42am]: Help. I just presented as a theta and my parents always joked about sterilization if I did. I don’t know if they were really just joking, or if they are really going to do it. I don’t know what to do. _

_ fluxed0wnn [July 2012, 2:45am]: there your parents, your backwards, its their choice. be glad if they let you live, freak _

_ Curious-badger786 [July 2012, 2:46am]: come to my place and i’ll show you what you can do with that new pussy, rucky boy _

_ tasks_unacheavable [July 2012, 2:50am]: Do you have anywhere safe you can get to? Do you know the laws where you live? Unfortunately, if you are under the age of 18, most places, they can still legally force it on you, but there are organizations you can reach out to for protection. Ignore the assholes, there’s nothing wrong with you. Message me directly if you need. _

* * *

The murmur of command was softer than usual, everyone hyper aware of the general standing in the back of the room.

Alex glanced towards where Lucy stood next to her father, then made her way out of command.

She and Lucy had barely interacted since the phone call, and everything had been official DEO business. It had been Lucy’s choice, so she could use less masking perfume while her father was in town. She had said there was too much of a risk of him noticing something was off.

Alex started towards her lab, eager to get out of command and the heaviness of the air inside. She had never been so attuned to anyone's presence before, always knowing where Lucy was in the room, always having a read on her emotions.

Alex refused to think about what that could mean.

She slipped into her lab, moving quickly to the desk in the corner and absently rifling through some files piled on the corner.

Lucy wasn’t just spending less time with her, she was acting more aloof when they were together and she smelt different without Alex’s pheromones clinging just beneath the surface.

Alex had expected it, but actually experiencing if was different than the expectation.

The door opened. Alex’s hand flexed around the grip of the gun in her holster.

“Agent Danvers.”

She let out a breath, released the gun, and turned to the door.

“General.”

He loomed in the doorway, Lucy just visible behind him.

“I have some questions regarding certain projects you are involved with,” General Lane said, striding into the lab without pause.

* * *

Lucy hovered in the doorway for a moment before stepping into the gym. She closed the door behind her, scanned her hand on the pad to lock it, then made her way across, towards the steady pounding in the far corner.

Lucy leaned against a treadmill for a moment, taking in the sight of Alex going all out on the heavy bag.

The wire of her headphones was snaked behind her back, clinging to her sweaty skin every few moments before jumping around again. Her black sports bra and fatigue trousers were too dark to show the sweat soaking through, but her skin glistened.

Lucy just watched, the movement of muscles, the beads of sweat rolling down skin, the form of each strike.

Alex knew that she was there, she always did. Lucy knew that, and Alex knew that Lucy knew. Lucy just had to wait until Alex was ready to turn around, and enjoy the view until she did.

It was another thirty minutes before Alex finally slowed, grabbing the bag to still it. She leaned heavily against the bag, back heaving with each breath.

“Do you know when he’s leaving?” Alex asked, voice muffled.

“Three days,” Lucy said.

Alex sighed. She pushed off of the bag, starting to unwrap her hands as she turned.

“Just three days,” Lucy continued.

Alex scoffed. “Just three days,” she mocked. She balled up the wrappings and flung them towards the stool her shirt and water were sitting on.

“Alex?”

“He questioned my ability to do my job.”

“I know.”

“He threatened to have my clearance revoked.”

“I know.”

“He called me a ruck, Luce! In front of my entire team and command.”

“I  _ know _ ,” Lucy stepped forward, ignoring the pit in her stomach. “And that was out of line, and...”

“And who’s going to see it that way?” Alex cut her off. “What’s really going to stop him from finding a way to force me out of the DEO? And where do I go if he does? This is all I’ve got!”

Alex ran a hand through her hair and slumped back against the wall. Her shoulders curled inward, her head fell forward.

Lucy stepped to Alex, raising a hand to caress Alex’s cheek and making her look up a bit. 

“I won’t let that happen,” she said.

“How could you stop it?”

The fear deep in Alex’s eyes cut into Lucy.

“However I have to,” Lucy promised. “Trust me, okay?”

Alex stared at her for a moment, then nodded. Lucy smiled, rubbing Alex’s cheek with her thumb. She leaned up to press a kiss to Alex’s forehead.

* * *

Alex leaned down, one hand on the open fridge door, the other reaching to the back to grab the container of watermelon in the back. She wrinkled her nose at the green growing on the fruit, then sighed and leaned back to put it on the counter with the rest of her spoiled food.

One major case and everything she had bought earlier that week was wasted.

She eyed the pile of food, realizing for the first time how much had been bought either by or for Lucy. Alex turned, eyes narrowed as she glanced around her apartment.

Lucy’s biggest presence was the food, but there were still hints of her elsewhere.

A jacket she had left one day hung on the back of a chair at the table. There was a potted plant by the window Lucy had bought her, insisting she needed some sort of greenery in her apartment. Some health magazines sat on the end table by the couch.

Alex closed the fridge, leaned back against it.

It had been almost a week since she had seen Lucy, who had pushed her heat back while her father was in town. It had been a relief when Lucy had finally taken off.

Most people hadn’t noticed, but Alex was tuned into Lucy a way most others weren’t. She couldn’t help but notice the way Lucy’s fingers would tap on any surface, the near constant blush at the base of Lucy’s neck, that Lucy had a canteen or water bottle on her almost all the time.

Lucy had spent the week fighting her body as it ached. Alex had spent the week fighting hers to make Lucy give into the heat.

It was just the hormones, Alex knew. She was sleeping with Lucy, she was going to have a stronger draw towards her, a better read on her.

But, even with the relief of no longer having the hyper-awareness keeping her on edge, the absence of Lucy felt even stronger than when General Lane had been in town.

It was the time. It was the hormones. It was knowing Lucy was not just in heat, but in a more intense heat after pushing it off. It was missing her friend she had barely seen for three weeks.

Alex took a deep breath, pushed off the fridge. She grabbed the trash can, pulling it over to start dumping the bad food.

Watermelon. Milk. Leftover chicken. Berries. Cream.

She was going to have to go to the grocery store soon.

She was emptying a jar of homemade pasta sauce when someone knocked on the door. She tossed the jar into the sink as she walked to the door.

She glanced through the peephole, then pulled the door open with a smile.

Lucy’s smile was sheepish, one arm wrapped around herself.

“Hey,” Lucy said.

“Hi.”

Then Lucy’s pheromones made it into the apartment, not longer stopped by the seals around the door.

Alex’s eyes went wide. She gestured for Lucy to come inside, and closed the door.

“Are you still in heat?” she asked.

Lucy shook her head. “Ended this morning, it’s just residual now.” She walked around the apartment, dropping her purse on the counter, poking at some of the food on the counter, checking the plant. “Would usually stay home for another day, but…” she shrugged.

“Movie?” Alex asked. “I just need to finish cleaning the food.”

Lucy nodded.

Alex watched her as she walked to the couch. Lucy’s movements were sluggish, weighed down. By the time Alex was done and made it to the couch, Lucy was curled up and fast asleep.

Alex crouched next to her, tucked some hair behind her ear. There was still a sheen of sweat on Lucy’s skin, pooling at her brow, under her nose. Her pheromones were thick, sweet, throwing Alex’s memory back to her favorite candy shop at the Midvale boardwalk.

She slipped her arms under Lucy, cradled her close as she carried her to the bed.

* * *

Lucy woke after dreams of the ocean and and watching storms from the safety of the shore. She woke from a dream with Alex’s arms around her, to the reality of Alex’s arm around her as Lucy cuddled into her side.

She pressed closer to Alex, seeking the warmth, seeking the comfort of Alex’s pheromones. Alex shifted, fingers starting to trail through Lucy’s hair.

“How’re you feeling?”

The words brushed against Lucy’s forehead.

Lucy took a deep breath. The feeling under her skin had faded, the ache in her groin was gone, the burn around her neck had cooled.

“Good,” she murmured. “Better.”

Alex shifted, turning onto her side so she could curl around Lucy.

“Sorry,” Lucy continued, burrowing into Alex’s front..

“For what?”

Lucy closed her eyes, breathed in Alex, let sleep start to pull her back under.

Alex tightened her grip around Lucy.

* * *

The air in the room was thick.

With tension. With pheromones. With lies.

Alex tapped the table between her and Lucy and Colonel Harper.

Harper said something about Alex being a bad agent but not a traitor as he stood and made his way to the door.

Alex started to pull the wires of the polygraph off. The lie sat heavy in her stomach.

Or, not the lie itself, but that she was lying to Lucy.

Lucy, who was staring at the table, who had let her shoulders curl inwards, who let out a sigh.

“You’re lying.”

Lucy’s words were soft, but made the room freeze.

“Major?” Harper pushed.

Lucy stared at the table. “He told you he tried to rescue your father. He said he was protecting you.” She looked up.

Alex clenched her jaw at the pain just visible behind Lucy’s Major Lane mask.

“He gave you a place you could belong,” Lucy continued. “No matter what.”

Alex sucked in a breath.

“And you’re under arrest.”

Lucy looked back down.

Alex stared at Lucy as Harper pulled her to her feet, his grip on her arm tighter than necessary, the cuffs snapped around her wrist tighter than necessary. He spieled off her rights as he pushed her to the door. She glanced back at the last moment, taking in the image of Lucy hunched against the table before she was shoved into the hallway.

“Hey!”

Alex looked towards Supergirl stalking towards them.

“What the hell is going on? You can’t do this. Where is she going?”

Alex reached out on instinct, to calm Kara down, only to be stopped by the cuffs.

“Same place I’m taking your little green friend,” Harper said. “Project Cadmus.”

He shoved Alex to get her walking again. Alex looked back for a few moments as Kara called after them, then they were around a corner and going down the next hall.

She held her head high, refusing to let it fall as agents watched through the glass walls as she was pushed down the hall, into the elevator.

Harper’s grip on her arm tightened even further once the elevator doors closed. He leaned close.

“Been a while since they’ve had a ruck in the labs,” he said. “I’m sure they’ll have plenty of plans for you.”

Alex stared at the doors, her jaw clenched.

* * *

_ Ruck _ _ 1 _ __   
_ noun _ __   
_ 1\. A large number or quantity; mass _ __   
_ 2\. The great mass of undistinguished or inferior persons or things _ _   
_ __ Origin: Middle English  ruke

_ Ruck _ _ 2 _ __   
_ noun _ __   
_ 1\. A fold or wrinkle; crease _ __   
_ verb (used with or without object _ __   
_ 2\. To make or become creased or wrinkled _ _   
_ __ Origin: Old Norse  hrukka

_ Ruck _ _ 3 _ __   
_ noun  _ slang __   
_ 1\. A contemptuous term used to refer to a theta or tau _ _   
_ __ Origin: German  rückwärts

* * *

Lucy eyed the door as she stood a few feet down the hallway.

She wasn’t sure why she had decided to come. The guilt was already heavy on her shoulders, and seeing Kara was only going to make it worse.

And, well, maybe that was part of why she was there, punishing herself with her own guilt.

She took a deep breath, tugged on the bottom of her blouse, and stepped to Kara’s door. James opened it after a few knocks, and she stepped in with her head high, shoulder squared.

“I don’t have time for this,” she said, keeping her eyes on James as he closed the door.

Maybe if she put off looking at Kara as long as possible, the guilt wouldn’t feel as big.

“It’s important,” he said, tilting his head towards Kara.

Lucy rolled her eyes and turned and the guilt made her want to sink into the floor.

Kara was perched on a stool, hands fidgeting in her lap.

“Just tell me what was so important that I had to come here,” Lucy asked, ignoring the weight, crossing her arms in an attempt to protect herself. “What is this all about?”

Kara stood, taking a deep breath. “There’s something you need to know.”

Lucy held her gaze, but Kara’s eyes flicked away.

Kara shifted in place for a moment, then pulled her shirt open.

The red S glared out at Lucy. She was vaguely aware of Kara pulling her glasses off as she glanced towards James.

Moments from the past year flashed through her mind, of Kara, of Supergirl, of Kara and James and Supergirl and James, of Kara and Alex and Supergirl and Alex.

She shook her head, turning her gaze to the floor. “It all makes sense now.” She looked up at Supergirl in Kara’s clothes, then to the far wall. “I just didn’t wanna put it together. I didn’t want it to be true.”

She let out an airy laugh through her nose.

None of them had trusted her.

Alex hadn’t trusted her, had lied to her.

“I’m sorry you had to find out this way,” Kara said.

Lucy looked at her. She could see it now. The height, the strength, the steel hidden behind the softness of sweaters and glasses.

“But you’re the only person that can stop Hank and Alex from being sent to Project Cadmus.”

The guilt tried to push Lucy lower only to fight against the anger rising in her stomach.

“Why would I help you?” she asked, letting the anger take over. “You an..and Hank? Why do you all lie?”

Kara started talking, explaining the need to hide to survive, to fit in. She crossed the room and sat on a stool as Kara told a story from soon after she had landed on Earth, on how her powers had gotten her in trouble.

“When you are an alien,” Kara said, finishing the story and buttoning up her shirt. “You’re willing to sacrifice anything, everything, betray your fundamental instincts, just to fit in; to belong somewhere, to find your place in this world.”

“If you have a problem fitting it, it’s because you lie to people about who you really are,” Lucy argued. It felt weak even as she said it, even as she put strength behind the words.

“Lucy, are you really willing to let Hank become a science experiment?” James cut in.

She looked to him.

“And who knows what they have planned for Alex.”

The guilt crashed down again, falling heavy onto her shoulders. She looked at the wall, not wanting to look at either of them.

Kara stepped forward, pulling Lucy’s attention anyway.

“I know you’re feeling betrayed and alone,” Kara said.

Lucy lifted her chin, did her best to harden her poker face even more.

“But if you go along with Jim Harper, just to feel like you fit in, to feel like you belong somewhere, ultimately the only person you’re betraying is yourself.”

Except, she had already betrayed Alex.

“It wasn’t easy for me to show you who I really am,” Kara continued. “But I did it because I trust who you are.”

The guilt seeped under Lucy’s skin, soaked into her bones.

“Who you really are, under that uniform.”

It crawled down her throat, gnawed at her stomach.

“And I trust you’ll do the right thing.”

* * *

Alex jumped out of the trailer, too preoccupied to take in the fresh air.

Her father was alive.

Her father was alive and at Cadmus and she was going to have to go on the run after escaping.

She had to find him, had to figure out where he was.

She was practically tackled from the side by who could only be Kara.

“You saved us,” Alex said after Kara pulled back.

“We saved you,” Kara replied.

“We?”

Alex looked past her and…

Oh.

Lucy.

Lucy, absolutely tiny in her motorcycle body armor and hanging back from the rest of them and looking away when she realized Alex was looking at her.

Alex’s feet itched to go to her. J’onn jumped down next to her before she had any chance to make a decision.

“We need to take care of Harper and the other soldiers,” he said.

Alex nodded, turned her focus to the task at hand, to dealing with the soldiers, to planning with J’onn.

To saying good-bye to Kara.

The entire time she couldn’t stop glancing towards Lucy, couldn’t stop keeping track of where Lucy was, what she was doing.

She stepped out of her hug with Kara, and turned to see J’onn and Lucy walking towards them.

“Don’t worry,” J’onn said to Kara as he took her helmet. “She’ll be okay.”

Alex missed Kara’s response as Lucy handed her helmet over. Alex stared at the helmet, doing her best to not look at Lucy. Her shoulders were heavier as she turned to the bikes.

“Wait, Alex.”

She turned back, doing her best to push down the flutter of hope in her heart.

“We don’t know how long you’ll be gone,” Lucy said, holding out a small kit.

Her hormones.

Their fingers brushed as Alex reached out for the kit. Alex lingered, stared into Lucy’s eyes.

Silent words passed between them.

_ I’m sorry. _

_ Be careful. _

_ Come back. _

_ Please. _

Then Lucy let out a soft  _ fuck it  _ and closed the gap, kissing Alex with desperation. She pulled back a moment later, jaw set, and nodded.

Alex nodded back, then spun around, putting the helmet on and tucking the kit into the carrying compartment before swinging a leg over the bike.

She didn’t look back, didn’t let herself look back, but could feel Kara and Lucy both watching her until she and J’onn were out of sight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's prob gunna be a few weeks before the next post. I was gunna wait to post this one, but got excited because of the feedback. Anyway, I had part of chap three written, then realized I had skipped an entire chunk, so now I need to go back in and what I've got will prob be chapter four instead.
> 
> I do also have some smut in the works? Not for this series though. totally separate stuff. still not sure if I'll write smut for this.
> 
> I'm loving your comments, so if you have anything else to say, I'm happy to hear it. Anything, comments, critics, stuff about this abo world.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things and Myriad and stuff

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the comments. I'm really glad people are liking this, especially the world building behind all of it.
> 
> There is a scene in this chapter where Alex and J'onn are confronted by a cop, and it is a bit tense, as a heads up.

Lucy slumped back onto Kara's couch. She turned so she was leaning against the arm, pulled her feet up onto the cushion. She could still feel the weight of the body armor, feel Alex’s kiss linger, even hours later.

“Here,” Kara said, holding out a bottle as she walked around the couch. She settled on the other cushion, holding her own bottle.

Lucy opened her cider, took a sip.

“So,” she drawled. “Today happened.”

Kara laughed. “You ready to be director?”

“I think so. Not that I really have much of a choice.”

“You’ll do great,” Kara said. “I know you will.”

“Thanks.”

A smirk crept across Kara’s face.

“Oh, God,” Lucy sighed.

“So, you and Alex?”

“What about me and Alex?”

“You know what I’m talking about.”

“There really is nothing.”

Kara rolled her eyes, leveled a look at Lucy. “That kiss wasn’t nothing.”

Lucy shrugged. She picked at the label of her cider as she leaned it against her legs. “I’m not sure you really want to know.”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

Lucy looked up at her, smirked and raised an eyebrow.

Kara looked at her confused before her face screwed up. “Ew. Lucy!”

“You’re the one who asked.”

“I was asking about relationship stuff, not…” she gestured with her bottle. “That stuff.”

“That stuff is all there was.”

Kara’s face screwed up even more. “ _ Lucy, _ ” she whined.

“What?”

“I don’t need to know about my sisters sex life.”

“Oh, were we talking about sex?”

Kara narrowed her eyes. “I know that’s what you were talking about.”

Lucy laughed. “We were just having fun, no strings type fun.”

“That kiss did not look very ‘no strings’.”

Lucy hummed, picked at the label. “Maybe when she gets back we’ll talk about strings.”

Kara squealed. “You two would be so good together.”

Lucy smiled, staring at the paper she was ripping up. “Yeah, I think we might be.”

* * *

The can of Coke in Alex’s hand was dented at the bottom, a small dimple in the metal. She ran her thumb over it, back and forth, back and forth.

A crinkling chip bag behind her sent tension through her shoulders.

After spending a week holed up in a secret safe house J’onn had in Arizona, they had finally decided to risk venturing out to move locations. The gas station they had stopped at was a few hours into their drive.

Alex watched a teenager in the glass of the cooler door. The kid riffled through the bags of chips, then took one and walked off. He glanced back at Alex once before turning out of that aisle.

She let out a breath, tucked some blond hair from her wig behind her ear.

Movement in the glass reflection pulled her attention to the side, to J’onn making his way towards her. He was shorter than she was used to, much closer to her own height in his current form.

Never mind the entirety different face he had decided on that morning.

He opened the cooler next to the one she was at, started to look through the bottles.

“We need to leave,” he told her while reaching in and picking up a bottle of root beer.

“We get made?” she asked, putting the dented can back.

J’onn grimaced. “Not exactly.”

Alex hummed.

“There’s a cop outside who called in an unsuppressed tau. It seems that is the part of your wanted listing they focused on.”

Alex’s blood went cold. “They’re going to drag in every tau they find.”

“Including you,” J’onn pressed. “Let’s go.”

Alex nodded.

They made their way through the store, making sure to not go faster than a casual pace. Before they got close to the car J’onn had stashed at his safe house, however, a tall cop stepped in front of them.

“Heading somewhere?” he asked. His thumbs hung onto the belt loops of his jeans. His boots were covered in sand. His name tag read  _ Boyer. _

“Just getting back on the road,” J’onn said.

“Well,” Boyer drawled. “I’m going to have to ask you to come to the station with me.”

“Is there a particular reason why?” J’onn asked.

“Just need to check some things out with your friend here. Shouldn’t take long.”

“Did I do something wrong?” Alex asked. Playing nice made her stomach turn, but knocking him out would draw attention.

“We just have a few questions for her,” Boyer told J’onn.

Alex tensed, started to shift forward and argue, only to have J'onn gently press his hand against hers to remind her to stay calm.

“What about?” he asked.

“Unfortunately, sir, I can’t give that information.”

“If you won’t tell us, we don’t have to go with you.”

Boyer chuckled, his hand rested on the butt of his gun. “I really need you to come in with me.”

“Are we being arrested?” Alex asked.

“Why don’t you let us do the talking,” he said, smiled pulling into a sneer.

Alex narrowed her eyes. Her hand balled into a fist.

“Why don’t you answer her question,” J’onn growled.

Boyer's jaw twitched. “You need to come with me.”

“We know our rights,” Alex said. “If you don't tell us why we need to go in, we don't have to.”

The strap holding the gun in Boyer's holster clicked as he unsnapped it.

“I'm not asking again,” he said as he started to draw the weapon.

J'onn moved in a blur, next to Alex one moment, in front of Boyer the next, holding his wrist to keep the gun in place.

“You don't want to do that,” J'onn said.

Boyer was on the ground in a moment.

“Let's go,” J'onn said, not looking back before heading towards the car.

* * *

**_Warning_ **

_ If you guys could spread this around? _

_ There's apparently some low-key manhunt going on for some people in California. They kept it out of the news, but cops in that area are on the lookout. _

_ One of the people they're looking for is an unsuppressed tau. So, obviously, the cops have decided to drag in every unsuppressed tau (and probably any alpha they find they read as a woman, lbr, so trans men alphas, be careful too) they find. _

_ I only know because it just happened to a friend and I had to talk her through a panic attack after getting out. _

_ Stay safe everyone. Know your rights. _

* * *

A lock of hair clung to Alex's temple, sweat rolled down her cheek. Even with the sun sinking into the sand at the horizon, it was sweltering.

She stared at the oranges and pinks painted across the sky.

She took a deep breath, tried to get her muscles to relax. The scene from the gas station kept playing over and over in her head.

It had been years since she had dealt with that type of cop, not since her early days at the DEO.

Or, well, years since she hadn't had the power and badge to shut them up and brush them off.

She watched a lizard run from one rock to another, small puffs of sand rising in its wake. Cool air brushed over her for a moment, then J'onn sat next to her on the step.

“You would be much more comfortable inside,” he said.

Alex shrugged. “We're going to have to figure out how to get around without attracting attention.”

Without her attracting attention.

“We can lay low,” J'onn said.

“As long as I'm with you, I'm a liability,” she said. “I'm putting you at risk.”

“I'm not leaving you, Alex.”

She sighed, leaned heavily against the corner post where the stair railing turned into the porch railing.

She couldn't take suppressants.

She couldn't stop being an alpha.

But, maybe…

Her stomach turned as the thought formed. Her chest tightened, each breath heavier than the last.

“I could…” She shrugged, feigned nonchalance. “I could be in disguise, undercover sort of.”

She stared at the sand. J'onn shifted next to get.

“Alex…”

“I couldn't pass as a grown man, I don't think, but a teenage boy, maybe.”

“No, Alex.”

“Nobody would pay me attention,” she pushed. She clenched her fist, nails digging into her palm. “Think I had just presented or something and haven't had a chance to get suppressors.”

“Alex.”

“It would only be when we go out. Wouldn't be much. I would-”

She cut off as he took her hand. She let him unfurl her fingers.

Small drops of blood glistened in her palm like jewels in the desert sunset.

“We will figure something out,” he said. “But not that.”

He pressed a kiss to the side of her head, then he was gone with another blast of cool air.

Waves of relief and guilt washed over Alex.

* * *

Lucy pushed the greens of her salad around as she read through a file on a recent mission.

Trap team had subdued the target, but not without Brown taking an ice bolt to the shoulder. She was already up and about, but any injury was too much.

Lucy sighed, signed the paper, and closed it. She took a bite of wilted sprouts, wrinkling her nose at the texture. She dug through the bowl until finding a cluster of peppers. She popped one in her mouth and mixed the rest into the greens.

“Is that the salad I got you at lunch?”

Lucy looked up. Kara was in her doorway, leaning on the frame.

“Yes?”

“The salad you specifically asked for?”

“Yes?”

“That is now your dinner?”

Lucy turned her wrist, revealing the time. “It’s not-oh.”

“Yeah, oh.”

Kara had her arms crossed when Lucy looked up. Lucy rolled her eyes.

“I don’t exactly have an easy job, time gets lost sometimes.”

Lost.

Or blown up.

Or shot to pieces.

Whichever.

“Speaking of time, Speedy get home?”

Kara stepped into the office, cape swaying behind her. “It’s really more dimensional travel than time travel, but yes.” She stopped, brow furrowing. “Or, he went somewhere, at least, even if it wasn’t his universe.”

Lucy nodded. “Well, I hope he got home.”

“Me too. You should probably head home as well.”

Lucy glanced around her desk. Her pile of files she had to go through was finally smaller than her completed, but if she stayed a little longer, she could probably get it finished.

“Let me reword that,” Kara said. “Come to my place, eat something other than pizza, and I may have some stories about Alex that would interest you.”

Lucy narrowed her eyes. “What do you want?”

“Nothing? Why would you think I want anything?”

Lucy raised an eyebrow.

Kara sighed. “Is it wrong to make sure my sister’s girlfriend eats while shes gone?”

“Alex and I never dated.”

“But you wanted to, and I have so much ammunition for when she gets back and you two get together.”

Lucy watched her for a moment, then grinned. “Only if I get my own box of potstickers.”

“Deal.”

* * *

Alex pressed her thumb into her temple. Her elbow was starting to ache from the length of time she had been leaning on the center console. Her leg bounced up and down, trying to find a rhythm in the rain on the roof of the car.

J’onn had told her to wait an hour, then drive back to the safe house if he didn’t come out.

That had been fifty minutes ago.

She glanced down the alley, to the street at the end. A car drove past every few minutes, most accompanied with a wave of water as they hit the puddle at the corner.

A square of light splashed across the alley.

Alex rested a hand on the gun in her lap. She eyed the man stepping into the rain. Her fingers flexed around the grip for a moment before she recognized him.

J’onn slid into the car, shaking rain out of his hair.

“Get anything?” Alex asked, passing him the gun to put into the glovebox. She twisted around, reaching to the back.

“Tentative schedule of patrols around Midvale,” he said. “We have a small window to get through.”

Alex nodded. She handed him a towel from the back. “When?”

“Thursday night.”

* * *

_ dps-ftw420 [3:42am]: I’m the anon from the thread. The theta? Can you really help me? _

_ tasks-unacheavable [3:45am]: I’ll do my best kid. _

_ dps-ftw420 [3:45am]: Thank you so much _

_ tasks-unacheavable [3:46am]: of course. Do you know the laws where you live? _

_ dps-ftw420 [3:50am]: not really. I never really paid attention to it _

_ tasks-unacheavable [3:51am]: not a lot of kids do. _

_ tasks-unacheavable [3:53am]: where are you, I might know _

_ dps-ftw420 [3:57am]: Pennsylvania _

_ tasks-unacheavable [3:58am]: I’ve got some friends out there. You’ve got some legal protection. Doctors need your consent, not your parents, but they could take a simple nod to be your consent, so be careful when talking to anyone _

* * *

Alex looked down as her phone started to vibrate again. She glanced up, around at the people in the small studio, then stepped into the hallway, ignoring her mother and sister watching her curiously.

“Hello?”

There was a shaky breath from the other side before a response.  _ “Alex.” _

“Lucy,” she breathed. “Are you okay?”

_ “A bit bruised, but fine otherwise.” _ The slight tremble in Lucy’s voice gave her lie away.  _ “I won’t keep you long,”  _ she continued. _ “I’m sure you’ve got plenty going on wherever you are.” _

Alex huddle in a corner that let her watch the door to the studio and the stairs out of the hall. “We’re, uh, in National City, actually.”

_ “You’re what?” _

“Yeah, with Supergirl.”

Lucy laughed. _ “I’m not surprised.” _

“We’re going back to the DEO with her.”

_ “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” _

“Not really, but after this, do you really want to turn away our help, Director?”

_ “No, but I also really don’t want to arrest you again.” _

Alex kicked the wall lightly. She hunched forward, pressed her forehead to the wall and closed her eyes. “I trust you, Luce. I’ll see you soon.”

“ _ Okay _ .”

Alex hung up before anything else could be said. She took a deep breath before turning back to the studio door.

Where her mother was standing.

“She must be special,” Eliza said.

Alex paused for a moment, then nodded. “She really is.”

* * *

Stacks of boxes and piles of stuff yet to be packed was a familiar sight for Lucy. Since childhood it had been a well known terrain. Sometimes accompanied by joy and excitement, others anger and pain.

But, she wasn’t sure it had ever hurt so much.

She had, however briefly, thought she was going to get to stay for once.

J’onn had been open to the idea of them being co-directors, splitting responsibility, and she had let herself believe that was going to happen.

That it wasn’t, that she was being sent to another duty station clung tightly to her skin. Only duty and muscle memory kept her moving through the packing process.

Still, she faltered as she pulled a t-shirt from her drawer.

Alex’s.

She brushed her thumb over the faded band logo, raised the fabric, buried her face in it.

Alex’s scent clung to every fiber of the shirt, enveloped her in warmth.

She should give the shirt back, she knew that, but having to face Alex, having to tell her that she was leaving?

Lucy knew that she should, but the urge to sneak away was overwhelming.

She pulled her tank top off, pulled the band shirt on.

Best, really, to just vanish and let them forget about her.

Soft knocks sounded through the apartment.

She made her way through the stacks of boxes, cursed under her breath when she looked through the peephole.

The smile Alex gave her when she opened the door gnawed at her stomach. The smile quickly faded as Alex stepped into the apartment and looked around.

“You moving?”

“New orders,” Lucy said, closing the door. “I leave tomorrow.”

She just caught a flash of pain as Alex turned back to her. She stepped back as Alex stepped forward, until her back was pressed to the door.

Alex trailed a finger along the stretched shirt collar, up Lucy’s neck and jaw, tucked some hair behind her ear. Lucy covered Alex’s hand with her own, leaned her head into Alex’s palm.

“Stay tonight?” Lucy asked.

Alex rubbed Lucy’s cheek with her thumb. She nodded.

“Whatever you want.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay?  
> Please keep sharing the love, it means so much.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enter Maggie, stage left

Alex carefully poured water around the stem of the plant.

_ “A Chinese Evergreen,”  _ Lucy had said.  _ “Can go days with dry soil, even you can’t kill it.” _

Alex had rolled her eyes and laughed, but the plant was thriving on her windowsill.

She emptied the cup, trailed a finger along the edge of a leaf, let out a deep breath. She leaned a shoulder against the wall next to the window, looked out at the city, at the sun creeping towards the ocean.

A visual reminder that she had left Lucy hours ago. That Lucy had left hours ago, to her new duty station in Germany.

They hadn’t talked much. The night had been fast and frenzied, the release of energy and hormones until they had passed out. The morning had been slow and deep before a pancake breakfast.

Then Lucy was gone.

And Alex had spent the hours since ignoring the ache in her chest and the burn behind her eyes.

Which was stupid.

They were just friends.

It was just sex.

She closed her eyes at knocks on the door.

“Alex?”

She took a deep breath. She wasn’t sure she wanted to deal with Kara.

“The ice creams gunna melt, Alex.”

Alex sighed. She pushed off of the wall. “I’m coming.”

Kara met her with a soft smile. “I’ve got cookie dough and strawberry and phish food.”

“Why?” Alex stepped aside enough to let Kara in. Those were the flavors they got after a break-up. She took a deep breath, fought back the lump in her throat.

“Lucy,” Kara answered as she walked to the kitchen.

“What about Lucy?”

Kara looked up from the silverware drawer. “She’s gone. You don’t have to pretend you don’t care.”

“Why would I care?”

Kara rolled her eyes, picked up the ice cream and spoons. She started walking.

“I know you two were a thing.”

“We weren’t…”

“Lucy told me, while you were gone.” Kara sat on the couch, held the container of cookie dough out.

Alex stared at her for a moment, expression hard, then she sighed, took the ice cream and sat.

“I actually really liked her,” she admitted, head down as she opened the container. The sting in her eyes gave way to tears building.

“She really likes you.”

“But she’s gone,” Alex sighed. “And I feel like...” She trailed off, stuffing a spoon of ice cream in her mouth.

“Feel like you just broke up?” Kara pushed.

Alex shrugged, tears starting to roll. “It’s stupid. We weren’t actually together and we’ll still be in contact.”

“It’s not stupid.”

Alex stabbed the ice cream with her spoon. “I miss her.”

Kara leaned against her, dropped her head to Alex's shoulder. “I know.”

* * *

_ A good insight to what the natural attitudes regarding thetas and taus are cultures relatively untouched by Christianity and western colonialism. In these societies, you very rarely find the oppression and marginalization found elsewhere. In many of these societies thetas and taus are treated no different than alphas and omegas. In some, these individuals are revered, seen as gifts. _

_ Some tribes, such the Pirahã of the Amazon Rainforest and the Sān people of southern Africa, after learning the attitude of outsiders towards thetas and taus, have taken steps towards keeping those individuals away from any outside interaction. _

* * *

The headlights of her Charger flashed as Maggie unlocked it. She let out a sharp breath through her nose, glanced over her shoulder as she walked.

The crime scene was obscured behind the corner of the hanger.

The crime scene and Agent Alex Danvers.

Maggie rolled her head, trying to relax her muscles.

Kicked off the crime scene like some rookie, which meant she was going to be stonewalled out of the official investigation.

And all she could think of was the agent and her jurisdiction and off center necklace and hormones that still sat in Maggie’s nose.

It was the hormones, really, that made her muscles continue to tense.

She got into her Charger, slumping against the door after closing it.

A tau.

An unsuppressed tau.

Who clearly didn’t care who knew.

Maggie ignored the whispers in the back of her head telling her to look into Agent Danvers.

The woman must have fought hard to get where she was with everyone knowing. She didn’t need Maggie digging into her past as well.

Maggie’s phone vibrated in her pocket. The text from her CI was the perfect distraction.

She took a deep breath, closed her eyes at the lingering scent of Agent Danvers. If she fumbled with her keys as she slid them into the ignition, nobody would ever know.

* * *

Alex tried to keep her focus on her bike and the streets rushing past her. She tried to let the ride distract her from the smirk Kara had sent her before she had left the DEO.

That she going to meet up with Sawyer with almost no knowledge of what they were going to do meant nothing.

It was a work thing.

And nothing to do with the fact that it was Sawyer who called.

Alex could admit that Sawyer was attractive, but that didn’t mean anything. There were attractive people everywhere. Cat Grant. Agent Vasquez. Dr. Hamilton. The list went on, really.

She slowed for a red light, lowered one foot to the ground.

Alex shook her head.

So much for not thinking about it.

The light turned green and she sped off, splitting the lanes and weaving through traffic. Before long, she was pulling her bike into the alley Sawyer had directed her to. Sawyer was waiting for her at the end, commented on her bike, led her past a password guarded door.

Alex tensed when they stepped into the bar. There were no pheromones in the air, not even the subtle hint that formed in groups of betas. She looked around, taking in every detail she could.

The jukebox playing Dolly Parton. The stage in the corner. The waitress getting the beers Sawyer asked for.

The claws on the man at the bar. The nictitating membrane of the woman checking her out. The pointed, moving ears of the person playing darts.

“Sawyer?” Alex asked under her breath. “Where are we?”

“A safe haven,” Sawyer answered, leading Alex to a table. “A place for off-worlders to hang out, have a drink, not feel so alone.” Sawyer leveled Alex with a look she didn’t know how to interpret.

Alex glancing around. “So this is where you get all your information about the alien populace in National City.” 

Sawyer leaned on the table, her dimples just barely appeared as she smiled lightly. “They also make a mean peach mojito.”

“How’d you find this place?” Alex asked.

Sawyer shrugged. “Dated the waitress for a bit. Found that I relate to the people here a bit more than I do most humans.” She tilted her head towards the waitress as she set two bottles on table. “Darla.”

“Maggie.”

Alex looked over her shoulder to follow Darla’s path to the bar.

“How?” Alex asked, looking back.

Sawyer tilted her head to the side. “How what?”

“How do you relate to them?”

“I guess, growing up a non-white, non-straight girl in Blue Springs, Nebraska.” She let out a short laugh. “Might as well have been from Mars. Then I became the first woman in my family to not be omega, and, well…” She shrugged with one shoulder. “I was always an outsider, and I knew it. These people, aliens, they’re refugees, immigrants, all they want is some place to be themselves without feeling like outsiders. I can sympathize with that.”

_ I’m sure you can, too  _ hovered in the air between them.

Alex didn’t comment, didn’t trust herself to not scoff at the implied comparison between Maggie’s experience as a beta and hers as a tau.

* * *

_ “Are you going to spend the entire call complaining about your new crush?” _

Alex froze, one hand on the fridge handle, turned to her laptop. Lucy was smirking at her, slightly pixelated, twisting her hair up into a bun.

_ “Again,”  _ Lucy added after a beat.

“I do not have a crush on her,” Alex said. She opened the fridge, grabbed a beer, then moved back to the laptop.

Lucy hummed.  _ “Sure sounds like it.” _

“And I do not talk about her that much.”

_ “You definitely do.” _

Lucy stepped away from her camera. Alex bit her lip at the sudden screenful of abs before Lucy turned away, revealing her back. Which, really, was only slightly better.

The dimples on the small of Lucy’s back were adorable.

_ “It’s cute.” _

Alex scoffed. “I’m not cute.”

_ “You’re a lot of things, Danvers, cute being one of them.” _

Alex rolled her eyes. “How’s Germany?”

_ “Very German.” _

Alex snorted, took a sip of her beer. Lucy stepped to her dresser, started to dig through a drawer.

_ “The chocolate cake is amazing,”  _ Lucy said.  _ “And the beer.” _

“You would already know that.”

Lucy’s laugh was light. She pulled an undershirt on as she walked across the room.  _ “I’ve hit up a different party each weekend so far.” _

Alex scoffed. “You’ve spent every weekend sleeping.”

_ “I could be dreaming of parties, you don’t know my dreams.” _

Alex laughed. She settled against the counter, warmth flowing through her as she watched Lucy start to pull her uniform on.

_ “I do have actual plans this weekend, though.” _

“Yeah?”

_ “Yeah. Short trip to Nuremberg with some of the other JAGs.” _

“I miss Europe sometimes.”

_ “You lived in Europe?” _

“Semester abroad. Moscow, but I traveled as much as I could.”

_ “That mean you speak Russian?” _

“Возможно.”

Lucy turned back towards the camera, buttoning her blouse.  _ “You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you Danvers?” _

“It’s a gift.”

Something beeped on Lucy’s end.  _ “Damn, I have to go.” _

The warmth in Alex faded a bit. “Set up another call time soon?”

_ “Of course.” _ Lucy leaned closer to the camera, eyes flicking around as she did something on her computer screen. She looked back up.  _ “Bye, Alex.” _

“Bye, Lucy.”

And she was gone, the screen showing the disconnected message.

Alex sighed, twirled her beer bottle on the counter, closed Skype.

* * *

_ Theta: the eighth letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals it has the value 9. In ancient times, theta was considered the symbol of death. _

_ Tau: the 19th letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals it has a value of 300. In ancient times, tau was used as a symbol for life or resurrection _

* * *

Maggie scanned the crowd, taking note of every person she recognized under the masquerade masks.

Hedge fund managers.

The head of a bank.

City councilors.

Her gut turned.

She wasn’t sure she wanted to know why the rich and powerful of National City were gathered in some secret party. She needed to find out, of course, but she wasn’t sure she actually wanted to.

“Any chance they’re here to secretly donate their money to good causes?” Agent Vasquez murmured.

Maggie snorted. Vasquez sighed.

“Thought not.”

_ “Focus,”  _ Danvers said over the comms. She had argued against joining Maggie herself -  _ I’m not exactly the best person to have for discretion  _ \- but had refused to be left out.

“We are,” Vasquez replied. “I’ve got at least eight names to run after this. So many bigwigs to take down.”

Maggie swore she heard a sigh from Danvers, but there was no other response.

“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that,” Maggie said.

Vasquez smirked at her.

A server stepped up to them, holding out a tray.

Maggie’s twisted even harder as omega pheromones wafted off of the man. She barely registered Vasquez taking two glasses, her eyes flicking to the tattoo of the theta symbol on the man’s neck.

“You alright?” Vasquez asked, passing a glass over.

Maggie nodded. “Yeah, I’m good.”

She glanced around, clocking the other servers. Theta tattoos. Tau tattoos.

Her chest tightened, her jaws tensed.

She forced herself back into focus as the lights shifted, illuminating the woman walking into the room from a side door. It wasn’t, however, until M’gann walked into the fight ring that she was really able to reorient herself.

Then Supergirl crashed through the ceiling and the crowd scattered, only to run into the DEO team streaming through the door.

Maggie zeroed in on Roulette, who was paused in a doorway, looking across the room with a thoughtful expression. Maggie started after her, moving through the crowd as best she could. When she reached the door, however, Roulette was gone, and the alley on the other side of the door empty.

Maggie let out a sharp breath. She turned, looking in the direction Roulette had been.

The ring, where Supergirl was being looked over by Danvers.

The twist in Maggie’s gut returned. She wasn’t sure which woman Roulette was interested in, and she wasn’t sure which option worried her more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the wait  
> I hope you guys liked this chapter, and Maggie's intro  
> thank you so much for the love in the comments :)


	5. Chapter 5

Alex took the tablet held out by Vasquez. She scrolled through the list of alien species they believed to be part of the ring based on evidence found in the cells.

“Any leads on where she might have taken them?” she asked.

Vasquez shook their head. “No evidence of Roulette anywhere.”

Alex sighed. She tucked some hair behind her ear. “Keep an eye on her accounts, and put feelers out.”

She passed the tablet back to Vasquez. They nodded and moved back to their station.

“Danvers?”

Alex turned, eyebrow raising at Sawyer standing in command center, then crossed the room.

“Even with the investigation being joint,” Alex said. “You do need DEO escort in our base.”

Sawyer smirked, leaned her head to one side. “You mean my shadow?”

Alex glanced over at Agent Demos hovering about ten feet away. She rolled her eyes.

“Do you have a lead?” she asked.

Sawyer took a deep breath. “I actually wanted to discuss something else about the case.”

Alex narrowed her eyes. She looked to Demos, jerked her head in dismissal.

“This way.” She led Sawyer to a nearby office, left the door cracked. “What do you have?”

“Less me having something, more of a request.”

Alex crossed her arms, leaned against the wall.

“I want help looking into the servers,” Sawyer said.

Alex focused on her breathing. “What about the servers?”

“I don’t think they were there willingly.”

Alex narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean?”

Sawyer pushed a hand through her hair. “It’s just a feeling. We checked and they are all legally employed, but it feels off.”

“Why? Because they’re all backwards?”

Sawyer flinched.

“Maybe she hired them because nobody else would?” Alex pushed. “Taking advantage of willing labor?”

“No. No. It feels like there’s more to it. Why are  _ all  _ of the servers taus and thetas? Why did they all have those tattoos? We already know Roulette is capable of forcing people into situations worse than being waitstaff.”

Alex took a deep breath, trying to focus on Sawyer’s logic instead of the defensive anger clawing in her chest.

“Why come to us about it? NCPD is more equipped to handle stuff with humans than the DEO.”

Sawyer shifted, weight moving from one foot to the other.

“Oh. You didn’t come to the DEO, you came to me.” Alex gave a low laugh. “You figured I’d automatically help because I’m a tau.”

“Danvers, it’s not…”

“Listen, Sawyer. There might be something there, you’re right, but the DEO needs to focus on finding Roulette and the aliens who pose a potential threat to the city.  _ I  _ need to focus on finding Roulette.”

“Danvers…”

“Unless you have official business regarding that, I’m going to get an agent to escort you out.”

Sawyer sighed, shook her head. She opened her mouth as if to say something, then shook her head again, squaring her shoulders.

“Alright, Danvers.”

Alex left the office, waved Demos back over.

“Escort her back out.”

He nodded and led Sawyer down the hall.

Alex took a deep breath. She shook her head then turned back to command, to Winn’s desk.

“How’s the search going?” she asked.

“Nothing new,” he said. “But-” he spun his seat around to face her “-may have found some things being used as leverage and/or blackmail against a few of the servers like you asked.”

Alex nodded. “Thanks. Keep digging”

“Will do, will do.”

* * *

_ “...evolutionary reason is still debated by experts. However, the most common explanation given can be summed up with statistics. _

_ “Survival of the fittest and natural selection refers to a species ability to survive its environment and successfully reproduce, passing on the traits which allowed for survival and reproduction. With the drastically different rates of fertility between betas and alphas and omegas, the numbers balance out. _

_ “Look at the birth rate from omegas and beta women. Omegas, who are functionally infertile unless in heat, when their fertility spikes to near one hundred percent, have the same birth rates as betas, who have much lower, but more stable fertility levels. _

_ “Having different levels of fertility in the population may have been a way to ensure reproduction even…” _

_ Huberik, Stan. “On the Biological Necessities of the Alpha, Omega, and Beta Echelons Within the Human Species.”  _ Echelons, Gender, and Sex _ , vol. 4, no. 1, 7 May 2007, pp. 246–250. _

* * *

The parking garage was eerily silent after Maggie turned her bike off.

She settled heavily in the seat, shifted her weight forward onto the handlebar.

Danvers’ words echoed in her ears, the look on her face as she dismissed Maggie’s concern for others simply because of who they were.

Maggie’s grip on the handles tightened.

Really, who did Danvers think she was, constantly dismissing her like that?

Maggie sighed.

Maybe she should have found a different way to approached the topic, but since rescuing her from Scorcher, Danvers had calmed down. They had worked well together at the dump site of the Syvilian, while organizing the infiltration of the fight club.

They had been building a good working rapport.

Or, so Maggie had thought.

She shook her head, climbed off of her bike.

She made her way through her building in a blur of familiarity, only pulling from her thoughts when she reached her door.

Maggie let out a deep breath as she passed through her door, the air from the pheromone seal brushing over her. As she breathed in past the seal, the scent of pizza made her stop. Hand hovering right by her service pistol, she made her way to the kitchen, stopping at the woman crouched by the oven.

“Shay?”

Her girlfriend stood then turned, grinning. “Hey, Maggie.”

“What are you doing here?”

Shay’s smile dropped for a moment but quickly recovered. “I thought I’d surprise you.”

“Well, I’m definitely surprised.” Maggie forced a smile before stepping out of the kitchen. She crossed the apartment to her gun safe, draping her jacket across the back of her couch on the way.

“I’ve missed you the past week,” Shay called out.

“Yeah, I’ve had a big case.” Maggie pulled her pistol from the holster, cleared it, then slid it back in place.

“We’ll make up for it soon.”

Maggie froze. She slowly set the holstered gun in the safe then closed it. “What do you mean?”

“Our b-week is coming up.”

“ _ Our _ b-week?”

Shay gave her a sheepish smile as Maggie entered the kitchen. “That’s the actual surprise, I talked to HR and got my week moved so we can take it together.”

“Oh. That’s great. I can’t wait.”

Shay pushed the cutting board of pizza towards Maggie.

“I was thinking,” Shay continued. “We could check out the new exhibit at the art museum, or catch a movie, or,” she smirked, “we could do what alphas and omegas do on their weeks and not even get out of bed.”

Maggie nudged a slice of pizza before picking it up. “I’m sure we’ll think of something.”

“Benefit of being beta, right?” Shay laughed. “You get the free week off and don’t have to use it on a heat.”

* * *

Lucy pushed what remained of her noodles around with her fork. She smiled as Alex’s laugh faded from the other side of the Skype call.

“ _ Oh, I needed that, Lucy.” _

Lucy hummed. “I’d noticed. You seemed a bit off.”

_ “A bit off?” _

“Yeah.”

_ “How?” _

“Well, for one, you haven’t mentioned your cop crush once.”

Alex’s face dropped. Lucy raised an eyebrow.

“What happened?”

Alex pushed some of her hair back.  _ “I, uh, actually should get back to work.” _

“Please, if you agreed to talk with me at work, all you have to do is paperwork, and I know you hate doing that.”

Alex sighed, slumped down on her desk, hair falling in front of her face. 

“What’s up?” Lucy pushed.

Alex pulled herself up, brushed a hand through her hair to get it to fall right. Lucy's fingers twitched with the desire to be doing it for her.

_ “I don’t know. Something feels off.” _

“Like what?”

Alex shrugged.  _ “She came to the DEO the other day, asking for help looking into some people Roulette employed.” _

“The servers you already had Winn checking out?”

Alex hummed. She toyed with something on her desk, avidly avoiding looking at the camera.

Lucy watched the movement of her fingers.

“So, she’s helping with that now?” Lucy pushed.

_ “Uh, no.” _

Lucy leaned back in her seat, smirked. “What did you do?”

Alex shrugged, still staring down at her desk.  _ “I just...why does she care?” _

Lucy blinked. “What do you mean?”

Alex sighed. She slumped back in her seat, head slumping to the side, hair falling to reveal her neck.

“Alex?” Lucy pushed.

_ “People don’t usually care about us,”  _ Alex finally said.  _ “Especially not cops. So why does she care about these people?” _

“Maybe she is one of the people who cares.”

Alex scoffed.

“I learned to care.”

Alex finally looked up.  _ “Lucy…” _

Lucy waved her off. “I was ready to judge you when we first met. Hell, I did judge you, but I got to know you, learned more about taus, realized I was wrong. Maybe someone did the same for her.”

Alex shifted, pushed some hair back.  _ “Yeah, maybe.” _

She looked up, past the camera, nodded after some muffled words from an agent off screen.

_ “I’ve gotta go,” _ Alex said.  _ “Talk later?” _

“Of course.”

The screen went blank.

Lucy sighed, leaned back in her seat. She glanced over at the plastic bag laying on the end of the table, considered for a moment, then reached over and pulled it towards her.

Maybe it was weird, keeping one of Alex's shirts in a bag, maybe it would be better to actually wear the thing like she had in National City, but as she opened it and breathed in Alex's scent, still strong despite the time, she couldn't bring herself to care.

* * *

Alex’s grip tightened around her gun. She kept it level on Roulette even as the aliens stepped around her in a protective circle.

She started to calculate the odds.

They weren’t good.

Even with three aliens on their side, even with the sparks of fear she could see in Roulette’s eyes, the odds weren’t good.

Then Kara stepped between Alex and the closest alien. She started a spiel about aliens fighting because humans wanted.

Alex lowered her gun, risked a glance across her team.

J’onn and M’gann, both still recovering from the fight with Drago. Valdes and Igle, in full gear, weapons steady. Sawyer, who met her eyes for a split moment before they both turned back to Kara.

Lucy’s words from their Skype call bounced around her head.

_ Maybe she is one of the people who cares. _

Maybe.

Watching the way she worked to protect aliens when so many humans wouldn’t, knowing that, she had caught that something was up with the servers, Alex couldn’t help but think that maybe she really was someone who cared.

And Alex had just brushed her concerns off.

The aliens stepped aside, breaking their wall around Roulette.

And Maggie was arresting her.

And, there was a moment, as Maggie marched Roulette back out of the warehouse, where Alex was caught in both woman’s gazes.

Concern from Maggie.

Predatory interest from Roulette.

Both sat heavy in her stomach.

* * *

_ Beta Week Policy: The Company follows standard guidelines regarding Beta Weeks. In order to not unfairly overschedule Betas in comparison to Alphas and Omegas, who must take a week off for a rut or heat, respectively (Pub. L. 87--549), Betas may choose to take a chosen week off each month. This week will be unpaid, but will not be used against the employee regarding matters of evaluations, promotions, and opportunities. _

_ Alternatively, should a Beta chose to not take this week, he/she will be granted a second day off each week to maintain the average number of hours worked monthly. _

* * *

White noise roared in Maggie’s ears as she walked Roulette down the sidewalk.

All that work, all that time and effort, just to let the woman go.

“Hey.”

Danvers, great. Maggie wasn’t sure if the agents appearance was going to make her night better or worse.

All she had wanted was to book Roulette before meeting Shay for dinner.

“I was just coming to help, and…” Danvers gestured vaguely with the files in her hands.

Maggie started to uncuff Roulette.

“What’s going on?” Danvers asked.

“Orders came down from on high,” Maggie said. “We have to let her go.”

There was a twitch in Danvers’ jaw, her eyes slid to Roulette.

Maggie fought the urge to push between Danvers and Roulette, especially as Roulette leaned closer to Danvers, looked her up and down and smirked.

“It’s all about timing,” Roulette said. “Having the right friends at the right moments.”

Danvers didn’t back down. “Your day will come.”

A dark look crossed Roulette’s face, then she sauntered off, to the limo waiting by the curb.

Maggie sighed as it drove away. She glanced at the folders in Danvers’ hand.

“What’s all that?”

“Intel,” Danvers replied. “On the servers.”

Maggie raised an eyebrow. “You looked into it?”

The slight sheepish expression on Danvers’ face was one she never thought she would see. “We were already looking into it, actually.”

“Oh.”

“I reacted poorly when you came to me about it, but if you’re still willing, you do have contacts on the streets we don’t.”

“All that fancy equipment and you still need our easy bake ovens?”

Danvers faltered for a moment, then laughed. “Do you have time tonight? We could start going over some of this.”

“I can’t. I’ve got…” She trailed off as Shay appeared in the crowd. “Hey, babe.”

Shay grinned, only for it to falter slightly as she reached them. “Mags.” She leaned in for a quick kiss. “Who’s this?”

“Shay, this is Alex Danvers, we’ve been working together on a case. Danvers, Shay, my girlfriend.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” Danvers said, holding a hand out.

It was a moment before Shay took the offered hand.

“You too.”

Maggie tried to not notice how fast Shay dropped Danvers’ hand, that she wiped her palm on her the back of her jeans.

“You ready, Mags?”

Maggie nodded, turned to Danvers. “We can go over it tomorrow?”

“Course,” Danvers said. “I can come here? Or you can stop by my office? We have more intel back there than what I’ve got right now.”

“I’ll stop by tomorrow.”

Danvers nodded. “Have a good night.”

And she turned, and vanished into the crowd.

“You work with her?” Shay asked, draping an arm around Maggie’s shoulders and guiding her the other way down the street.

“She’s FBI,” Maggie said. She leaned into Shay, welcomed her familiar scent after the long day.

“They let people like her into the FBI?”

Maggie pushed back the sudden knot in her stomach. “What do you mean?”

“Can rucks be trusted with that sort of stuff? Clearance levels and whatnot?”

The arm over Maggie’s shoulder moved from comforting to confining.

“I mean,” Shay continued. “If she can’t even have the decency to suppress it, who knows what she might be using it to hide, right?”

Maggie nodded absently. “Right.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long. 
> 
> Thank you all so much for the comments :D


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are investigated. Things are learned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning in this chapter for transphobia, outing, intentional mis-gendering and references to slurs being used.

Alex flipped through the file in front of her.

Cynthia Grouse. Single mother. Threatened to have her children taken from her.

She sucked in a deep breath, closed the file, then added it to the pile.

With Carl Blight, a high level banker, and Suesanne Price, who was working off a debt, and a number of others.

A knock pulled her attention up. She waved Mullens in.

“Ma’am, Detective Sawyer is here to see you,” Mullens said.

Alex nodded. “Let her in.”

Sawyer stepped into her office, holding a bundle of her own files. “Danvers.”

Alex nodded, pulled one of her piles towards her, leaving space at the end of the desk.

Sawyer set her pile down, raising an eyebrow at Alex’s files. “Would think an organization like the DEO would be mostly digital.”

Alex laughed. “It’s a mix, but we definitely still use too much paper.”

“Clearly.” Sawyer compared her stack to what covered Alex’s desk. “You guys really were looking into it.”

Alex hummed. “I am sorry for brushing you off the other day. I reacted badly.”

Sawyer shook her head. “You’re fine. I get it.”

“Still.”

“It's in the past, Danvers. Now, what have you guys found?”

Alex pushed the pile towards Sawyer. “So far, all of these have potential leverage against them.”

“That many?” Sawyer glanced at the other folders. “And the rest?”

“Ones I haven't gone through yet.”

“So, it's what? Hundred percent positive so far?”

Alex nodded. “And just from what my people told me, it may be a hundred percent throughout.”

“Guess we've got our work cut out for us.”

“Well, the job can't always be charging in with a rocket launcher.”

Sawyer laughed.

The corners of Alex’s mouth twitched upwards at the sound.

They settled into a comfortable rhythm of work, each going through their files, sharing what they found. The piles of files to still go through shrunk as the stack of people with leverage grew.

“So,” Maggie said as they set the last files aside. “They’re all taus and thetas. Roulette has something she can hold over all of their heads.”

“But what else links them?” Alex mused.

“I might have an answer,” Winn said from the doorway, tablet in hand.

“What’ve you got?” Alex asked, standing and rounding the desk towards him.

“Ran their bank statements, and each of them have recently been to this club.” He turned the tablet over, showing a website.

“Background Noise?” Sawyer asked. “Never heard of it.”

Alex closed her eyes for a moment, then crossed her arms. “I have.”

* * *

Lucy looked up as the coffee cup appeared in her vision.

“Lieutenant Colonel Troupe?”

He smiled at her, held the coffee out a bit further. “Symons bought some decent coffee while down in Italy, decided to share.”

Lucy raised an eyebrow.

“And,” he continued. “I figured you would like a cup before the pot was gone.”

She smiled, took the cup. “Thank you.”

Troupe leaned against the side of her desk.

“You have any plans this weekend?” he asked.

Lucy watched him for a moment, then smiled softly. “Not yet.”

His smile was broad. “There’s a special playing of the Freddy movies at the base theatre Saturday night. Maybe we could go? Then grab a late dinner?”

The rejection was on the tip of Lucy’s tongue, but she bit it back.

Troupe - Ron - was a good guy. Just promoted to lieutenant colonel, he worked over in intel and was one of the top PT studs on the base.

And, maybe she needed to start seeing other people to start getting over Alex.

* * *

_ “And, truly, Beatrice, the nerve of these women - if we can really call them such - to demand a place in our movement. Do they not understand that, should we give into their demands, it would illegitimatize all of our efforts to date? _

_ “To admit them would be no better than to admit the man and his need to dominate. What other reason for planting themselves in women’s spaces do these taus have than to take over and monopolize the time and effort put forth by those of us who truly belong? _

_ “No. It is best that we have turned them away. For surely, they will still benefit from our efforts even without needing to control our actions.” _

_ \- Evangeline Smith. “First Wave Feminism on Tau Inclusion.” Received by Beatrice Evens, 15 Nov. 1852. _

* * *

Maggie wondered if Danvers had felt the same nerves and uncertainty she was feeling before she took her to the alien bar. She tucked some hair behind her ear, glanced at the man guarding the door down the alley.

Her stomach twisted. She couldn’t stop looking up and down the alley.

“Sorry I’m late.”

Maggie turned, proud that she didn’t jump at the sudden words. She glanced at her watch, then raised an eyebrow at Danvers.

“You’re five minutes early,” she said.

Danvers shrugged. “You ready?”

Maggie nodded. “Yeah. Yeah.” She took a deep breath. “You’re sure it’s alright that I’m going in with you?”

Danvers rolled her eyes. “I’m sure. The chance of anyone recognizing you in there is practically nothing, you don’t have to worry about anything.”

And she pushed past Maggie before she could respond.

Maggie closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and followed.

Danvers didn’t move too far ahead and let Maggie catch up before they reached the bouncer.

“Alex Danvers,” he said. “Been a while.”

“Yeah, well...” Danvers trailed off, then laughed. “I can’t believe you’re still working the door, Bill.”

He shrugged. “I don’t have to, but haven’t found anyone else to take the spot.” He nodded towards Maggie. “A friend?”

“She’s new in town, wanted to know some places.”

“Try not to have too much fun tonight, alright?”

“No promises.”

Danvers slid a hand into Maggie’s and pulled her into the club.

Dim lights, deep pulsing beat, bodies pushed together on the dancefloor, only the subtle hint of pheromones.

Danvers led her through the crowd, weaving with ease.

“Used to come here a lot?” Maggie asked, yelling even as she did her best to stick tight to Danvers back.

“For a bit,” Danvers replied. “Been years, though.”

“Did you find somewhere else to go? Or just grow out of the club scene?”

Danvers glanced over her shoulder, then shrugged. “Something like that.”

They stepped up to the bar, the tender appearing in front of them. A minute later, Danvers had a bottle of beer and Maggie a club soda and they started across the club to standing tables in one corner.

The music was just barely quieter in the corner. Quieter enough, at least, for them to talk without yelling.

“Are there places like this throughout the city?” Maggie asked, sipping her soda.

Danvers hummed. “Not really.”

“Everyone here is…” she trailed off.

“Backwards?” Danvers finished. “Yeah. That is the point of this place.”

Maggie looked around, took another sip of soda. “You think someone here is on Roulette’s pay? Passing information over?”

Danvers tilted her head. “Possibly, or she has eyes on it another way.”

“And if we get tagged?”

“You think we wouldn’t be able to take out her goon squad?”

Maggie ducked her head, shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

“And they won’t be able to hold anything over you if they try that route,” Danvers continued.

Maggie nodded. “Right.”

Danvers took a small sip of her beer, then set it on the table. “I’m going to go catch up with some old friends, try and see if they’ve noticed anything different lately. You alright on your own?”

Maggie nodded. “I might wander a bit.”

“There is a lounge upstairs, if you want to check it out,” Danvers said. “Pool tables, darts. Less dance club atmosphere.”

Then she was gone and Maggie did her best to not stare at her ass in her tight jeans.

Maggie stayed in place for a few minutes, sipping her soda and watching the crowd. She caught a few glimpses of Danvers, saw a man with a file in Danvers’ office. A change in the tempo blasting through the room pushed her into motion.

Skirting around the edge of the room, she finally found stairs leading upwards.

Her shoulders relaxed as she climbed out of the cloud of pheromones. She hadn’t even realized she had tensed up so much.

Her week couldn’t come soon enough.

Jazz took the place of the dance music from below, along with the solid clacks of pool balls hitting each other and the undercurrent of conversation. Maggie briefly wondered how they managed to soundproof so completely between the floors.

The light upstairs was warm, easy on her eyes after the contrast of neon and black downstairs. Bottles of liquor were displayed behind the bar.

Maggie paused at a bulletin board just inside the lounge, glancing over each flyer. Support groups. A bookclub. A lost dog.

Three job opportunities.

One with a snake logo.

She took a picture of each flyer, got another club soda from the bartender, then settled in a small booth against one wall. She scrolled through the pictures as she sipped her drink.

The DEO would be able to track the numbers provided, see if any linked back to Roulette.

“You arrived with Alex Danvers, right?”

The woman sliding into the other side of the booth looked dressed for the club downstairs, halter top and bright makeup. Her smile made Maggie’s stomach twist, her skin crawl.

“Yes.” She drew the word out, tone lilting up at the end in question.

The woman hummed. “Just be careful, alright?”

“Careful?”

The woman leaned forward, long hair rippling in the movement.

“He isn’t what he says he is.”

Maggie’s blood ran cold. “Excuse me?”

The woman glanced around. “He isn’t really a woman, you know? Just acts like he is to trick people like us.”

A roaring grew in Maggie’s ears, drowning out the rest of the woman’s words.

“I think I need to go,” she said, standing.

She shoved her hands in her pockets to keep from knocking the sympathetic look off the woman’s face.

The woman stepped close to her, resting a hand on Maggie’s shoulder.

“I know it’s hard to hear,” she said. “But I figured it’s better you find out now.”

Maggie forced a smile, which quickly dropped with the slur in the woman’s next comment. She moved without thinking, shoving the woman against the wall.

The woman’s eyes went wide. Maggie was vaguely aware of the room growing quiet around them.

“You’re lucky there are so many people here right now,” she said. “I don’t take kindly to people insulting my friends like that.”

“I...I just…”

“No,” Maggie growled. “Just nothing. You outed her. You insulted her. I was going to walk away, not cause any problems. Just find her and get her out and away from you and anybody else here like you.” She pushed against the woman. “But you had to start throwing slurs around and that I won’t just walk away from.”

“He-”

“She. She is a woman, no matter what you think or say.”

Maggie shoved against the woman, took a step back. She glanced over at movement to the side, then nodded at the security watching her.

“I’ll show myself out,” she said.

She dropped a twenty onto the bar as she passed it. The security followed behind her until she stepped out into the alley, then spoke to Bill at the door.

Maggie paced, focusing on her breathing.

“We don’t get many people kicked out,” Bill said.

She stopped, glanced over at him. “Well, I don’t get kicked out of a lot of places.”

He laughed. “Always a first time, right?”

She shrugged.

“You waiting for Alex?”

Maggie nodded absently. She probably should let Alex know she had been kicked out.

Bill crossed his arms, leaned back against the building. “So, what prompted this apparent change in character?”

“Someone said something I couldn’t ignore.”

His brow furrowed, but the door opened before he could push.

Alex was smirking as she walked out.

“Smart money would have been on me being the one to get thrown out,” she said.

“Expect the unexpected, Danvers.”

Alex laughed, then her expression went slightly serious. “You alright?”

Maggie tilted her head. “You going soft on me?”

Alex scoffed. “Just making sure I don’t have to go help patch up whoever you apparently attacked.”

“She’s fine, I just scared her a bit.”

“Of course you did.” Alex turned to Bill. “It was nice seeing you again.”

“You, too. Don’t be too harsh on your girl.”

They both started to protest, but he laughed them off.

“Oh, fuck off, Bill,” Alex said before starting down the alley.

“Don’t turn into a stranger again,” he called after her.

Alex flipped him off over her shoulder.

Bill laughed. “Always liked that one.”

“It was nice meeting you,” Maggie said.

Bill waved her off. “You should go catch her.”

Maggie nodded and walked off. She found Alex by their bikes in the public parking lot nearby.

“You find anything before getting kicked out?” Alex asked as Maggie walked up.

“Some flyers about jobs that might be a front for Roulette, but not much else.” Maggie unlocked her bike storage. “I’ll send the pictures I took your way.”

“Great. I didn’t get anything from anyone I talked to, so hopefully those will lead to something. Will you be able to come by the office Monday to go over what we’ve got?”

Maggie shook her head. “It’s my week off.”

Alex nodded. “You want me to send stuff over, or is the NCPD strict on the no work policy?”

“You can send it. I’ll try to get to it.”

Alex nodded. “So, I’ll see you later, then?”

Maggie nodded, pulled her helmet out. She fumbled with the clasp for a moment before sighing. She looked up at Alex.

“Someone came up to me while I was in the lounge, asking if I came with you.” She ran a hand through her hair. “Because she wanted to warn me.”

Alex’s smirk tightened, then fell. Her jaw tensed. “Oh.”

“I just want you to know that she told me you’re trans. I don’t care if it's true or not, it’s your choice to tell me that, but-” she shrugged “-you should know.”

Alex nodded, eyes down. She fiddled with her keys. “Is that why you got kicked out?”

“I don’t really take kindly to outing people, or some of the words she used.”

“Well. Thank you.”

“Any time, Danvers.”

* * *

_ Forge: We really should be concerned about the diets and health of youth and the consequences.  _

_ Honey: What do you mean? _

_ F: Recent studies have shown that teenagers are presenting younger than in the past. The average has dropped from seventeen to sixteen, with some presenting as early as fourteen. _

_ H: And that has to do with their health? _

_ F: Yes. Modern diets that are high in fat and sugars, as well as the lack of exercise in the average teen are what’s triggering this change. If we want to keep this trend from continuing, we need to focus on those factors. _

_ H: What really is the risk of earlier presentation? _

_ F: First, we don’t know the mental impact this amount of presented teens will have on the generation as whole. Second, while the workforce has built in accommodations for ruts and heats, the school systems do not. Third, it is also accompanied by a rise in teenage pregnancies as they reach fertility earlier. _

* * *

The pile of donut pieces grew as Alex stared at the table.

Soft noises of movement came through her phone.

“What’re you up to?” she asked as she pulled another piece off of her donut.

There was a pause, a moment of silence.  _ “I, um, I’m going out.” _

“Oh, do you need to end the call?”

_ “No, not yet. I still have time before I need to leave.” _

Alex settled back in her chair, staring at the city through her window. She tapped the table, closed her eyes, and focused on her breathing for a moment.

_ “You okay?” _ Lucy asked.

Alex breathed for a moment. “Yeah. Why?”

_ “You’ve been quiet today.” _

“I’m quiet a lot.”

_ “Yeah, but this is more of a heavy, thinking quiet.”  _ Lucy’s voice grew louder as if she was closer to her phone.

“Are you saying I’m not usually thinking?”

_ “You have your moments.” _

Alex leaned forward, flicked at the donut pieces.

_ “What’s up, Alex?” _

Alex sighed. “I just…” She closed her eyes, tried to will her stomach to stop turning. “Sawyer and I went to a club all of the server’s had visited recently.”

_ “Yeah.” _

“It’s one I went to a lot in college, and a lot of people I used to know still go there.” She took a deep breath. “One of them told Sawyer I’m trans.”

She could hear Lucy suck in a breath. “ _ Alex..” _

“I’m fine,” Alex cut her off. “Just been a while since I dealt with that stuff.”

_ “Do I need to get Kara to drop Sawyer of a building a few times?” _

Alex laughed. “No. She actually got kicked out because she nearly beat up the person who told her.”

_ “I like Sawyer.” _

“Oh. You two are never meeting. That’s not something I want to deal with.”

Lucy laughed.

The knot of Alex’s stomach loosened a bit. It would probably be a day or so before the dread that had set in when Sawyer had told her loosened fully, but talking to Lucy was helping.

There were a few moments of silence, then a soft noise from Lucy’s end.

_ “I have to head out. Are you alright?” _

“I’m alright. Go have fun.”

There was a pause.  _ “I’ll try. Call me if you need anything, alright?” _

“Yeah, yeah. Now go, one of us should have a life, don’t ignore it to talk to me.”

_ “Yeah. I’ll call you later.” _

“Bye.”

The phone went silent.

Alex stared at her phone, at the pile of donut pieces, at the desiccated remains of the donut.

Her stomach started to twist up again.

* * *

 

Maggie leaned forward, elbows on her thighs, head dipping forward. Water dripped along her skin from the ice pack on the back of her neck. The cold permeated into the burning glands on her neck.

She screwed her eyes shut, sucked in a deep breath as a wave of heat rolled through her, settled in her groin.

She had just finished dealing with the last swell, but the next was quickly building.

Day two had always been the worst for her.

Knocks sounded on the apartment door, but she didn’t react. Whoever it was would have to reach her another way.

She pushed her hands through her hair, fingertips meeting at the back of her head.

A click made her lift her head, squint at her door. When it started to open, she rushed into movement, but was too slow as Shay stepped in.

They both froze.

Shay’s face screwed up in disgust.

“You’re a fucking ruck?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the comments, they mean so much :D


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This picks up right where the last chapter ended, so the first bit is intense.

“You’re a fucking ruck?”

The world crashed around Maggie. Ice settled deep in her bones, froze her blood, constricted her chest, numbed her skin.

“Shay,” she choked out.

She took a step back as Shay took a step forward.

The door slammed shut.

“Are you fucking serious right now?” Shay pressed.

Maggie froze, body fighting between running and hiding and reaching for her girlfriend to work through her rut.

Shay let out a sharp laugh. “You know, I put up with your obsession with your job, with your hard-headedness, but this?” She shook her head. “You fucking lied to me.”

“No…”

“Yes. You lied to get me in this relationship. Do you really think I would have agreed to date you if I knew that you’re a ruck?”

Maggie’s shoulders curled in. She wrapped her arms around her waist.

“And now, look at you, acting like you’re the one being wronged here.” She stalked up to Maggie, glared down at her. Her eyes flicked further down, nose flaring in anger before looking back up. “You must be fucking sociopathic if you think anything you did was okay.”

Maggie swallowed against the lump in her throat.

“We’re done,” Shay continued. “And I never want to see you again.”

She crossed the apartment in long strides.

“Shay,” Maggie forced out.

Shay froze, hand on the doorknob, then turned back.

Maggie stared at her, words racing around her brain. Moments passed before words finally formed.

“Please don’t tell anyone.”

She hated how weak she sounded, hated that she was begging. She hated that Shay just scoffed and slammed the door on her way out.

Maggie stared at the door.

And she couldn’t breath. And the silence roared in her ears. And she couldn’t breath. And her hands wouldn’t stop shaking. And she couldn’t breath couldn’t breath couldn’t breath.

She forced her legs to move.

One.

The other.

Left.

Right.

Her hands shook as she picked up her phone, navigated without thought.

_ “Danvers.” _

The voice was faint, barely cutting through the roar in her ears.

Maggie stared at her phone. Why had she called Alex?

_ “Sawyer? Are you there?” _

Maggie forced a breath.

Two.

Three.

_ “Maggie?” _

“I’m fine.” She sucked in a deep breath. “I...uh, butt dial, that’s all. Sorry.”

_ “Wait, Mag…” _

She hung up, tossed her phone onto the couch cushion.

That had been a stupid impulse in a moment of panic.

She ran a hand through her hair, looked around her apartment, closed her eyes at the amount of Shay around her.

Not much, they had only been together a few months, but little things here and there.

She covered her face with her hand, took a deep breath, then headed to the bathroom, hoping a shower would help calm her frayed nerves.

* * *

_ “...and now they have decided that we are not protected under the Lawrence v. Texas decision, that taus and thetas mating and breeding is not a privacy issue, but a reproductive one. Can you believe that? Us choosing, in our private lives, to take a mate and have children, is not a privacy issue. _

_ “They say it’s for the children, that children born from taus and thetas are less, that children born from taus and thetas are more likely to be taus and thetas themselves. They say it’s for the children. _

_ “But what about the children who are currently on the streets? Who are being forced into sterilization? Sixteen year olds. Seventeen years olds. Legally children. But because they presented ‘wrong’ they don’t matter any more. _

_ “They refuse us our rights, they restrict our rights, because they hate us. It is as clear as that. They hate us and they will do whatever they can to get rid of us.” _

_ Ruffins, Julia. Tau-Theta Rights Rally. 2003, Washington D.C.  _

* * *

Sawyer’s apartment building was newer than Alex’s, brighter, and probably not full of other DEO employees.

Alex kept her head up as the other woman in the elevator shoved her son to the side, putting herself between him and Alex. Alex kept her breathing steady, her muscles loose.

She wouldn’t react.

Even when the woman pulled her son out as soon as the elevator stopped.

Alex closed her eyes, focused on her breathing until the next stop.

Sawyer’s floor.

She made her way down the hall, glancing at every number until she found 487.

She went to knock, then paused.

Maybe Sawyer was fine. Maybe it really had just been a pocket dial.

But, Alex couldn’t stop thinking about Roulette walking away, smug with power and connections. What would stop her from going after the cop who arrested her?

Alex knocked.

There was no answer.

She knocked again. “Sawyer? You alright?”

No answer.

And no answer.

And Alex tapped her phone in her pocket, fighting the urge to call Kara and have her check the apartment. She pulled it out anyway, making sure Sawyer hadn’t responded to her texts since she got onto the elevator.

“Danvers?”

Alex let out a breath.

Sawyer sounded tired, but she was there.

“I just, uh, wanted to check on you,” Alex said.

A few moments of silence. The doorknob started to turn, then went back to the neutral position.

And again.

And again.

And the door opened.

Just a crack, the sterile scent of the door seal leaking out into the hallway.

Alex waited for a moment, then pressed her palm to the door, pushing it open. The air of the seal brushed over her, then she hit a wall of pheromones.

Her instincts rose up, being so close to another alpha in rut.

Her muscles tensed. She sucked in a breath. Her fingers clenched around the doorknob as she closed the door.

Sawyer was across the apartment, eyes wide, arms around herself.

“Oh,” Alex breathed out.

“I’m sorry,” Sawyer said. “I shouldn’t have called you. You probably have better things to do.”

“Hey, no.” Alex held her hands out, low, making herself as unthreatening as possible.

Sawyer may have invited her in, may have called her in the first place, but unwelcome presence during a rut could end badly. She couldn’t risk setting Sawyer’s instincts off.

“What happened?” she asked.

Sawyer swallowed. She tucked some hair behind her ear. Her eyes flicked between Alex and the door. She shook her head lightly.

“Alright. Can I do anything?”

Sawyer’s jaw twitched. “How do you do it?” she asked. “Having everyone know?”

“It’s hard.”

Sawyer sucked in a breath.

“Most days I wish nobody knew,” Alex continued. “So many things would be easier.” She eyed Sawyer. “But, sometimes, I’m glad people know. It helps me know who I’m getting to know from the start.”

Pain flashed across Sawyer’s face, she curled into herself, looking down. “You don’t have to lie about it.”

Rage burned in Alex’s chest. “Hey, no. Not telling someone about this is not lying.”

Sawyer looked up. Her eyes glistened. Round dimples dug into her cheeks. The ends of her hair were wetting the fabric of her shirt.

“Are you lying if you don’t tell someone you’re gay?”

Sawyer shook her head.

“Am I lying when I don’t tell people I’m trans?”

“Of course not.”

“This is the same. Okay? You don’t have to come out to anyone if you aren’t ready.”

They watched each other for a few moments.

“What happened?” Alex slowly asked.

Sawyer would never have called during a rut under normal circumstances never mind the fact that she looked like she was still in the middle of a panic attack.

The panic that started to rise up again. Sawyer’s eyes going wider, her arms tensing as she held herself.

“You don’t have to tell me,” Alex quickly said.

Sawyer’s breathing sped up. She took a step back.

The pheromones around Alex started to sour.

“What if she tells everyone?” Sawyer asked. She took another step back, hitting the wall. “My job, my landlord, they can’t…” She froze, her face paled. “If Roulette...

Sawyer slid down the wall, head between her knees as her breathing grew ragged.

Alex moved slowly across the apartment, fighting her own instincts towards aggression so near an unfamiliar alpha in rut.

Sawyer would know she was approaching, but Alex needed to be careful to not push too hard, to not make her presence too overwhelming. She knelt down on one knee, keeping a few feet between her and Sawyer.

“I can’t promise,” she slowly started, “that nothing will change, or that everything will go perfectly if they find out, but you aren’t alone, and I do promise that I will do everything I can to keep you safe from Roulette.”

Sawyer looked up, hair parting, dark eyes staring out.

Alex screwed her mouth up to one side for a moment. “What’s her name?”

Sawyer blinked. She took a shuddering breath. “Shay. Shay Aldman.”

“Alright. I’m going to go make a call. Do you have a spare room?”

Sawyer glanced around, jerked her head towards a door on the far wall.

“Okay,” Alex said. “I’ll be right back.”

She pulled her phone out of her pocket, briefly glanced at the text alerts from Kara and Lucy, and pulled up her contacts. She closed the door, glanced around. A desk in one corner, bookshelves in another, a heavy bag hanging in the third.

Alex leaned against the wall for a moment, collecting herself. Her body was starting to react to Sawyer, the alpha instincts in her wanting to posture and dominate.

She ignored the fact that the reaction wasn’t as strong as it had been in the past, and pulled a contact up on her phone. Her call was answered after the first ring.

_ “Vasquez.” _

“You know how you said you owed me one after taking your training billet last year?”

_ “You’re cashing it in?” _

“I’m cashing it in.”

* * *

Lucy leaned back in her seat, finger idly tapping the corner of her laptop. She stared at the picture of Alex and Kara on her screen, glanced at her watch, sighed.

Alex was usually online at this time. While they had never set it as a regular Skype time, they had gotten into the habit of letting each other know if they weren’t going to be able to make it.

And, Alex wasn’t answering the Skype call, or Lucy’s texts.

Lucy leaned forward, opened a National City news page.

No news about a major alien attack  within the past few days.

Something else had to have kept her and with Kara texting her about  spätzle, it couldn’t be anything to worry about.

Lucy let out a deep breath and closed Skype.

* * *

The pheromones around Maggie wavered, a layer of salt wafting through her own scent, the under hint of alpha that made her hair stand on end even as she wanted to lean on Danvers for the support offered.

_ You aren’t alone. _

That was something she had needed to hear so many times and never had.

She looked over as the salt grew stronger.

Alex was stepping out of the office, phone in hand.

Maggie forced herself to her her feet, instincts refusing to let her stay physically lower.

“I called a friend,” Alex said. She continued to keep a few feet between them. “They’re good at computers. Scary good. They’ll make sure it doesn’t hit social media.”

Maggie blinked. That definitely wasn’t legal. “Do I want to know?”

Alex laughed. “Probably not.” She turned her phone over in her hands. “Do you want me to go? I can stay if you want, but I understand if you need the space.”

Maggie took a deep breath, took stock of how she was feeling.

With Alex there, knowing there were people looking out for her, her panic was fading and her rut was swelling up again.

“I’ll be good tonight,” she said. “I’ll call when I’m up for visitors?”

Alex nodded. “Whatever you need, Sawyer.”

And she was gone, her lingering musk clinging to Maggie’s nose. The scent wasn’t right, but it wasn’t wrong the way other alphas usually were.

It was different.

Maggie wasn’t sure she liked it.

* * *

_ “Now, let’s check out the video of one of our reporters running into someone unexpected at the march.” _

_ \-- _

_ “Superman! Superman!” _

_ “Is there something I can help with?” _

_ “I just wanted to ask some questions.” _

_ “Go right ahead.” _

_ “I guess the big one is, you’re here, at a tau/theta march; are you a theta?” _

_ “I’m not anything, actually. My people didn’t have echelons the way humans do.” _

_ “Then why are you here?” _

_ “Because these people just asking for the same rights as everyone else, and that’s something I will always support. _

* * *

Condensation was building on the sides of Alex’s glass, circled the table underneath. She slowly spun the glass, watching the patterns form in the water.

Sawyer’s scent still clung to her clothing, an interesting combination of heat and earth.

Alex shifted in her seat, her body still reacting to being so close to an alpha in rut

It made sense, now that she knew. The little things Sawyer did, the way she reacted to some things. It wasn’t bigotry or discomfort, it was the fear of being outed.

Her phone lit up. A call from Vasquez.

“Danvers,” she said after answering.

_ “Hey, I did what you asked.” _

“Great. I don’t have to ask that you were discreet, right?”

Vasquez laughed.  _ “I’m always discreet. A variety of people across the world have lost all access to social media, including one Shay Aldman with a connection to your detective.” _

Alex rolled her eyes. She hadn’t mentioned Sawyer in the initial call, but she wasn’t surprised Vasquez had figured it out.

“Thanks, Vas.”

_ “Not a problem. I owed you, and I’m always happy to test my skills outside of what the DEO wants.” _

Alex snorted. “Don’t let Pam know you’re still hacking in your free time.”

_ “If she hasn’t figured it out in the last four years, I don’t think she will.” _

“Cockiness isn’t attractive.”

_ “Please, cockiness is at least top five in traits you find attractive.” _

Alex took a sip of her water, the ice cold helping with her slightly raised temperature.

_ “I mean,”  _ Vasquez continued.  _ “There’s me, Major Lane, and now Detective Sawyer. Your type is crystal clear.” _

“One, we slept together once, and we weren’t exactly sober.Two, there’s nothing between me and Sawyer.  Three, fuck off.”

Vasquez laughed.  _ “So, you do admit there was something between you and Lane.” _

Alex groaned. “I’m hanging up now. Thanks for the help.”

_ “Anytime, Alex.” _

She hung up, stared at her phone for a moment, then navigated to the texts she had dismissed earlier.

A few from Kara, asking what Alex wanted to watch for sister night, pictures she had taken while flying over National City, pressing her -- again -- to find Supergirl a reason to go to Germany.

One from Lucy, asking if she was going to be available for Skype.

Alex closed her eyes, bit back a curse. She had forgotten.

_ sorry for missing, was helping sawyer with something, you available the next day or two? _

* * *

The warehouse was dank, worse than the last few she had visited. Because, really, the current inhabitants weren’t worth the upkeep.

Heels clicking on concrete floor, a sharp smile towards the hired guards, the rusted creek of metal hinges.

Roulette stepped into the cell, up to the woman huddled in the corner. She brushed the woman’s hair to the side, circled the tau tattoo on her neck, then trailed her finger up the woman’s neck, jaw, cheek. Dull eyes stared at her, still clinging to hatred.

“You say humans will sell well?”

“Very well,” the Maaldorian behind her said.

“Well,” she said. “There certainly are plenty that aren’t wanted here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Massive thanks for all of the comments, I appreciate them so much.  
> Also, I realized I hadn't said it yet, but big thanks to my beta for putting up with all my questions at random times of the day.  
> Also, also, I'm going to be focusing on an original piece during November for nanowrimo, so this fic wont update much during that time. I may end up using it if I need a break from that story, but I don't see much progress happening.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An unexpected meeting

Lucy smiled at the waitress as she set the plates on the table. “Danke.”

“Bitte,” the waitress replied before turning and moving to another table.

“You were in National City before this, right?” Ron asked before taking a bite of his weisswurst.

Lucy nodded. “For a year on special assignment.”

“What, working with Supergirl?”

Lucy tilted her head to one side, smirked.

“Really?”

Lucy nodded. “I can’t really talk about it much, though,” she said. “Confidential and all.”

Ron hummed. “What’s California like? I’ve never been out west.”

Lucy’s phone vibrated as she answered. Still talking, she pulled it out, checking to make sure it wasn’t work related.

Alex.

Lucy slipped her phone back into her pocket, promising herself she'd text after she and Ron were back on base. She had never responded to Alex’s text about being with Sawyer during the usual Skype time - she hadn’t been sure how to.

She shouldn’t feel the way she does about Alex moving on, especially not when she’s trying to do the same.

“Maybe I’ll request California for my next duty station,” Ron said once she finished talking. “I haven’t been stateside for a bit.”

-o-

The back of Maggie's neck tingled as she walked into the station.

From Alex's texts, Shay hadn't spread the truth about her, but Maggie felt like everyone had to know. The truth had to be out.

Once one person knows, everyone knows.

That had been fact her entire life.

But, as she walked to her desk in the science division bullpen, there was no muttering that followed her, no strange looks. As she worked on paperwork at her desk through the morning, she wasn't called to her captain's office, wasn't besset upon by coworkers with accusations.

Donalds asked how her week off went, but that was the closest it got.

She slowly relaxed.

Just a little, though. For the moment she was alright, but that could change at any time.

-o-

Alex rubbed her temple, hoping to stave off the headache that had been building since the Cadmus video.

Really, she had enough to worry about without Cadmus supplying alien weapons to criminals.

She leaned back in her desk chair, stared at what was left of her lunch. She’d have to head back to command soon, only stepping away long enough to eat.

And, yet...Maggie.

She had given Maggie space over the last week, then sent her a text that morning, just reaching out, letting Maggie know she was there.

Alex pulled her phone towards her, turning the screen on.

No messages.

Alex tapped the phone screen for a moment, then pushed it away. She’d give Maggie a little longer. As much as she wanted to go check on her, it needed to happen on Maggie’s terms. So, she sent short texts, checked in with Vasquez to make sure nothing about Maggie had leaked, and tried to not think about how she hadn’t received anything from Lucy the past few days.

She looked up as her door opened and Kara stepped inside, slumping into the seat opposite Alex’s.

“Well, you look like you’re having a great day,” Alex said.

Kara glared at her, then groaned. “Mark almost got fired today.”

Alex blinked. “Who?”

“Mark...Mike...Mon-El.”

“Ah.”

Roulette lingering. Cadmus making a move.

Maggie. Lucy.

And now Kara problems.

Alex reached into her desk for her Advil as Kara moved right into her rant. Her phone lit up as she swallowed the pills.

A text from Lucy.

_ Sorry, been busy. Still on to skype tonight? _

Alex waited until after Kara had left, pulled by a surprise call from Lena Luthor of all people.

_ Course. I'm so sorry for missing last week. _

-o-

_ has anyone ever thought of a beta-only au? no alphas or omegas, just betas. no knotting, no heats, no ruts, no mates _

_ would we still have pheromones? would we be able to smell as well as we can to smell pheromones? _

_ would it change work schedules, if people didn’t take a full week off every month? would everyone work the five day work weeks betas who don't take their week have instead of the usual six days? _

_ i can't think of much more right now, but _

_ beta-only aus _

-o-

Lucy stirred her oatmeal, making sure the milk was fully incorporated, as she made her way to her table.

Skype was open, but she hadn't placed the call to Alex yet. She wasn't sure if she wanted to face Alex not answering again. So, she was waiting for Alex to call her.

She wasn't sure if that was any better.

She curled up in her chair, rested her phone on her raised knee and started checking her email, the news, Pokemon Go.

When she looked up again, there was a call from Alex waiting to be answered and a chat message.

_ Someone at the door, be right back. _

Lucy answered the call, expecting to see an empty apartment.

-o-

Maggie’s fingers curled away from Alex’s door, fist raised, but nerves shot. She took a deep breath, and knocked.

The door opened after a few moments, revealing a surprised Alex.

“Maggie?”

“Hey.”

“Come in.” Alex stepped back, letting her into the apartment.

It was nothing like what Maggie would have guess. Modern. Art on the walls. A Chinese Evergreen by the window. Billy Joel coming from a record player. Her laptop was set up on the table next to some food.

“How're you doing?” Alex asked as she closed the door.

Maggie shrugged, still looking around, not wanting to look at Alex.

“I just wanted to say thank you,” she said. “I panicked and didn't know what to do. I didn't even realize I had called you until you answered the phone. Then you showed up and basically did everything right and…” she sighed, finally looked at Alex. “Thank you.”

Alex shrugged, a small smile tugging at her lips. “It's nothing.”

“It's not and you know it.” Maggie brushed some of her hair back. “Nobody else knows.”

“Nobody?”

She shook her head, wrapped her arms around herself. “My parents were out of town when I presented. I managed to get my hands on suppressants before they got home. I've never told anyone I'm an alpha.”

Alex's eyes went wide, focused on something behind Maggie.

Maggie turned, static growing in her ears at the sight of Alex's laptop open on the counter, a woman watching through a Skype screen.

“ _ Fuck _ ,” the woman murmured.

Maggie took a step away from the laptop, fought to keep breathing.

Alex stepped between her and the laptop.

“Maggie, I need you to stay calm, okay? That's my friend Lucy. She won't do anything. Okay? I thought I cancelled the call before answering the door, but it must not have closed. I'm sorry. I did not mean for this to happen.”

Maggie focused on Alex's words, on her scent wrapping around her.

“And I promise. Lucy won't tell anyone. Right, Luce?”

“ _ Right,”  _ Lucy replied.  _ “I won't tell anyone. I promise.” _

“Is she also…”

“No,” Alex said. “Lucy's an omega, but she's safe.”

_ “I can go,”  _ Lucy said. “ _ Leave you two to talk.” _

Maggie stepped to the side, looking past Alex to the laptop. 

Lucy was close to the screen, eyes wide, concern clear even through the static of the connection.

“No,” Maggie said. “You two had plans. I should go.”

“ _ You can join us _ ,” Lucy suggested. “ _ My goal tonight is convincing Alex to try coconut milk ice cream.” _

Alex groaned, turned to look at the screen. “I hate coconut, Lucy. Why would I try the ice cream?”

“It's actually pretty good,” Maggie said. “I'm not generally a fan of coconut, but I like the ice cream.”

Alex looked back and forth between her and the screen. “I knew you two should never have met.”

Lucy laughed.

Maggie watched in fascination as Alex's body relaxed at the sound.

“ _ So you're Detective Sawyer? Alex has told me about you.” _

“Lucy,” Alex growled.

_ “Oh, calm down. I’m sorry we met like this, Detective, but I am happy to be meeting you.” _

Maggie nodded, glanced at Alex. A slight blush was rising up her neck, then grew more when she turned to find Maggie watching her.

“You can stay, if you want, but I understand if you don't want to,” Alex said.

Maggie glanced between Alex and Lucy.

“I don't really have anything else planned beyond going home and losing my cool a bit over the last week.”

A look of sympathy crossed Alex's face.

“So, I can stay for a bit,” Maggie continued. “Convince you on the ice cream front.”

The sympathy turned into a massive smile.

“Cool. We can move to the couch, more comfortable.” She grabbed the laptop and moved it as she spoke, setting it down on the coffee table in front of the couch. “I've got more food if you want some, drinks?”

“Maybe just water?” Maggie said, cautiously sitting on the edge of a cushion and watching as Lucy moved around her own room.

The visit definitely had not turned out the way she had expected, but she wasn't sure yet if that was such a bad thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for how long it's been. Life kinda grabbed me and took me for a ride the last few months.
> 
> Thank you all so much for the comments and giving this fic a chance.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not a trans woman, so if I do anything offensive with Alex, let me know. More info on being a trans tau will come later.
> 
> I'm not sure when a second chapter will be posted, the next few weeks are going to be stupidly crazy, but let me know if you like it? if you want me to continue? I'm really hesitant about actually doing a/b/o stuff, because of how iffy it can get, but I'm hoping to handle it better than many others do.
> 
> Thanks


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